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Award Winner Profile


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That ‘can-do’ attitude is coupled with a desire to make the most of any opportunity that comes his way – such as getting involved with Hemisphere’s chosen charity, Inspire Suffolk, which helps disadvantaged young people back into employment. Jack’s mother works at Inspire Suffolk and he did his work experience there, which he found very rewarding. When a chance arose to participate in the charity’s annual Strictly Come Dancing fundraiser, Jack jumped right in. “It involved 10 weeks of intense training,” he


recalled. “I have done a lot of sport but this was beyond any of that – you have to remember I cannot dance and I have no rhythm! But it was one of the best experiences I have ever had.” He remarked that a new apprentice who joined Hemisphere in January 2020 is on an Inspire Suffolk scheme. “I will be able to help her, of course, because I have been through the apprenticeship myself,” he said.


Forward focus


Jack Reddington, joint winner of the 2019 BIFA Apprentice of the Year Award, had never pictured himself working in logistics – but now, he says, he cannot imagine ever wanting to leave the industry


APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR AWARD SPONSOR


Offered an interview through a chance meeting with Hemisphere Freight Services managing director Andy Perrin, Jack Reddington went along without any expectations. “The interview panel liked my attitude, my confidence and my determination to do well, so they called me back in to talk about the apprenticeship,” he explained. “I am always willing to do anything to be the best I can and keep progressing, so when Hemisphere gave me the chance I decided to go for it – and I have never looked back.” Jack’s confidence is a family trait, he said, although he has had his challenges. “I struggled with dyslexia and that set back my confidence at


May 2020


Following the announcement of finalists and winners in January, BIFAlink profiles the successful individuals in the Apprentice of the Year and Young Freight Forwarder categories. For your chance to shine start thinking about your submission for the 2020 BIFA Freight Service Awards (competition opens in summer 2020).


high school. But I just had to accept that I would have to go to extra classes and study more. My attitude is that if you work hard, you will get that qualification in the end. Once I got my GCSEs, I felt I could achieve anything.


“Being involved in team sports like football and cricket has also helped my confidence because communication is so important.”


Ambitions So far, Jack has worked in Hemisphere’s export and import departments as well as helping the recyclables team, and at the time of writing (late January) was awaiting the results of the exam for his Customs qualification. For the final part of his apprenticeship, he moved back to the exports department, where he would be assessed on his ability to complete an entire shipment from quotation to delivery at the final destination.


It is clear that Jack has big ambitions. Indeed: “I have wanted to get into management since I started at Hemisphere – although before that, I had not thought about it. I saw my supervisor in the export department, Katie Murphy, and Hemisphere director Louis Perrin, and thought, ‘I want to be where they are one day’.” He also wants to promote awareness of freight


forwarding among other young people who might discover an attractive career path in the sector. “You never hear about the freight industry when you are at school, so one of the things I am doing as vice chair of the BIFA Young Forwarders Network in East Anglia is talking to young people about logistics. “I also organise events – such as a vessel tour – for my fellow young freight forwarders. When you are working in the office, you do not necessarily see every aspect of the industry, so this sort of event is important.” While he is looking around and ahead, Jack is


not forgetful of the support he has had up to now. “Winning the BIFA award is a way of giving something back to Hemisphere and proving that I am worth all the time they have invested in me,” he said.


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