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Courier

  • Hours

    36-40 per week

  • Starting salary

    £12,000 + per year

As a courier your job would be to collect packages, documents and messages, and deliver them to customers. You would usually work in and around large towns and cities. You could also work on cross-country deliveries. So if you like driving and want a job that gets you out and about, this could be just what you are looking for.

To be a courier you should have good communication skills. You will need to be able to work unsupervised. You’ll also need to be reliable and honest.

You do not need qualifications to become a courier. Employers will look for good English and maths skills, which you would need for paperwork and following directions. You will need a current driving licence for the vehicle you will be driving and a good driving record. If you want to work as a motorcycle courier, you would normally need your own motorbike.



The work

You day-to-day tasks would include:

  • collecting the schedule of pick-up points and delivery addresses from your depot
  • planning routes and sorting packages into dropping-off point order
  • finding the quickest route to delivery addresses
  • signing for packages that you pick up and getting signatures when delivering them
  • keeping paperwork and delivery records up to date.

You would usually drive a van or ride a motorcycle, but in larger cities you might work as a bicycle courier.


Hours

Your average working week in a full-time job would be around 36 to 40 hours. This may include evenings, weekends or shifts. Part-time work is often available.

As a motorcycle or bicycle courier, you would mainly work in city centres and surrounding areas. If you work as a van courier, you may have to spend periods away from home, as some companies deliver goods across the country.


Income

Starting salaries can be around £12,000 to £14,500 a year. Experienced couriers can earn between £15,000 and £20,000 a year.

Motorcycle couriers in the London area can earn up to £23,000 a year. Part of your earnings will go on fuel, insurance and equipment costs.

Many companies offer bonuses for full attendance and/or delivering a certain number of items.

Figures are intended as a guideline only.


Entry requirements

You do not need qualifications to become a courier, but employers tend to look for good English and maths skills, which you would need for paperwork and following directions.

You would need a current driving licence for the vehicle you will be driving and a good driving record. If you want to work as a motorcycle courier, you would normally need your own motorbike.

A basic knowledge of vehicle maintenance could help you when looking for work.


Training and development

Once you start working, you may be encouraged to take the Level 2 qualification in Driving Goods Vehicles. This has units in:

  • safety and security
  • customer service
  • planning routes and delivery times
  • transporting goods and materials.

You could also take a qualification in customer service.

See the Skills for Logistics website for more details about becoming a courier and the relevant work-based qualifications.

You could improve your career prospects by becoming a member of a professional body for this area of work. See the Institute of Couriers, the Despatch Association or The National Courier Association websites for more information.


Skills and knowledge

To be a courier, you should have:

  • an enjoyment of driving, motorcycling or cycling
  • excellent driving skills and road sense
  • good communication skills
  • good English and maths skills for keeping delivery and expenses records
  • the ability to work to tight schedules
  • the ability to work unsupervised
  • a pleasant manner, reliability and honesty
  • good geographical knowledge and the ability to read maps and plan routes
  • a reasonable level of fitness.

More information

Skills for Logistics (Opens new window)
12 Warren Yard
Warren Farm Office Village
Milton Keynes
MK12 5NW
Tel: 01908 313360
www.skillsforlogistics.org


Opportunities

Employers include local and national delivery firms, and any companies that offer a delivery service. Most of the opportunities for couriers are in the major towns and cities.

You could be employed on a fixed wage, or work on a freelance basis.

With experience, you could become a depot controller or start your own courier business. You could also train to do LGV driving.

You may find the following websites useful for vacancies and general reading (links open in a new window):

Job profiles are based on the latest information supplied to us by industry bodies, such as Sector Skills Councils. Please be aware that with the introduction of the Qualifications and Credit Framework (Opens in a new window) there has been, and will continue to be, changes to vocational qualifications. For more information, please check with industry bodies directly.

We do not accept responsibility for the content of external sites.


Related industry information

Industry summary

The courier industry is part of the logistics sector, represented by the Skills for Logistics Sector Skills Council, which also includes: air freight; road haulage; storage and warehousing; wholesaling; freight forwarding; and the postal services. Logistics is the movement and supply of all goods (or freight) from raw materials, through all stages of the manufacturing process to the delivery of the finished product to companies and consumers. This is known as the ‘supply chain.’ Nearly 2,320,000 people work in the logistics sector, which accounts to 8% of the UK workforce. It has been estimated that the logistics sector is worth £86.54 billion to the UK economy.

Couriers, or dispatch riders, collect items, such as packages, documents and messages, and deliver them to customers. Normally couriers work in and around larger towns and cities, although there is work on cross‐country deliveries. On a daily basis, couriers collect the schedule of pick‐up points and delivery addresses from their depot. They plan routes and sort packages into order of dropping‐off points. They need to find the quickest route to delivery addresses and sign for packages that they pick up. They also take signatures when delivering them. Couriers usually drive a van or ride a motorcycle, but in some larger cities cycle couriers are usual.

Key facts:

  • There are 90,100 people working in the courier industry, which equates to 5% of the logistics workforce in the UK.
  • There are around 10,800 workplaces across the UK in the industry.

Jobs in the industry range from: courier, motorcycle courier, van driver.


National and regional data

East Midlands – 156,600 employees work within the logistics sector in the region. Of these 6,800 people work in the courier industry, which equates to 4% of the logistics workforce in the East Midlands.

East of England – 186,700 workers are employed in the logistics sector in the East of England, of these 10,800 work in the courier industry. This is 6% of the logistics workforce in the region.

London – 178,800 employees work in logistics in London. In this region 9,100 people work in the courier industry, which accounts for 5% of the logistics workforce in the region.

North East – The logistics sector employs 55,000 workers in the North East, of these, 1,900 are employed in courier. This is 3% of the logistics workforce in the region.

North West – 193,400 workers are employed in the logistics sector in the North West, of these 8,500 are employed in the courier industry. Courier employment accounts for 4% of the logistics workforce in the region.

South East – 256,300 employees work in logistics in the region. The courier industry employs 12,500 employees, which equates to 5% of the logistics workforce in the South East.

South West – 135,100 employees work within the logistics sector in this region. Of these 8,000 people work in courier, which equates to 6% of the logistics workforce in the South West.

West Midlands – The logistics sector employs 187,500 in the West Midlands, of these 15,100 are employed in the courier industry. This is 8% of the logistics workforce in the region.

Yorkshire and the Humber – 158,100 workers are employed in the logistics sector in the region. 8,000 of these individuals work in the courier industry. This is 5% of the logistics workforce in the region.

Northern Ireland – There is an estimated 900 people working in courier activities in around 175 workplaces.

Scotland – There is an estimated 5,800 employees in courier activities, accounting for 5% of the logistics sector, in around 600 workplaces.

Wales – There is an estimated 4,100 employees in courier activities, accounting for 7% of the logistics sector, in around 300 workplaces.

[N.B. Data derived from Annual Population Survey, 2008, Annual Business Inquiry, 2007 and Inter‐Departmental Business Register, 2007.]


Career paths


Further sources


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