Warehouse Apprentice

DHL Global Forwarding; Manchester; On-site; GBP 14,000 - 18,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Generous holiday entitlement

Employee Incentive Bonus Scheme

Pension with life assurance

Wellbeing programme

Voluntary benefits package

Training and internal promotion focus

Job summary

DHL Global Forwarding in Manchester invites applications for a Warehouse Operations Apprenticeship. You will gain hands-on experience in handling air and ocean cargo, support daily warehouse operations and work toward a forklift licence while developing teamwork and continuous improvement skills.

This is a fantastic entry path with a global logistics leader, offering training, a structured development journey and opportunities for internal promotion.

Qualifications

• Must have minimum of 5 GCSE passes including English and Maths.
• Good administrative and organisational skills.
• Strong attention to detail and results-driven mindset.
• Effective interpersonal skills and ability to work under pressure.

Responsibilities

• Handle cargo movement and assist daily warehouse operations; update shipment status.
• Load and unload trucks or containers.
• Process Ocean or Air Freight tasks including packing, labeling, sorting.
• Support Warehouse Manager to meet operational targets.
• Ensure contractor adherence to quality procedures.
• Maintain safety and security procedures in the warehouse.
• Attend daily inbound/outbound activities and record deliveries.

Skills

Results driven

Interpersonal skills

Administrative skills

Organisational skills

Prioritisation under pressure

Education

GCSEs including English & Maths

Job description

Who is DHL Global Forwarding?

Who is DHL Global Forwarding?
DHL Global Forwarding (DGF) is part of the DHL Group. While the DHL Group employs more than 580,000 people globally, DGF has around 31,000 freight forwarding experts in more than 190 countries around the world, with around 1,000 of us based in the UK across 15 Sites. As the experts in Freight Forwarding since 1815, we are the global specialists in Air, Ocean and Rail Freight.
You name it, we’ve shipped it - from brown bears to aircraft engines, to lifesaving medicines and luxury cars! We are also proud to partner with some of the well-known global sporting series, movie franchises and music tours.
Our people are at the heart of what we do, and we’re committed to helping our Forwarders to realise their full potential, supported by our own development journey - Certified International Forwarder (CIF).

Our Values
Every day we are guided by our values: Passion, Entrepreneurship, Excellence and Teamwork.
We are extremely passionate about our people and what we do, which is why DHL Global Forwarding is recognised as a Top Employer and a Great Place to Work, because we are specialists in providing Excellence, Simply Delivered.
In addition to our values, we promote an open and honest feedback culture based on Respect & Results, whereby our employees embrace diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, while ensuring that we never compromise our integrity and compliance.

Role Overview:

Kickstart your career in logistics with our Warehouse Operations Apprenticeship, where you'll gain hands on experience in the fast paced world of international freight. Working alongside experienced colleagues, you'll learn how to handle and process air and ocean cargo, support daily warehouse operations and ensure shipments move safely and efficiently around the world. You'll receive training, including the opportunity to gain a forklift licence, while developing practical skills in operations, teamwork, and continuous improvement. This is a fantastic opportunity for someone who is organised, proactive, and eager to build a career with a global logistics leader.

Key Responsibilities:

• Handles cargo movement and assists in daily warehouse operations; complying with regulations and internal procedures, and updates shipment status accordingly
• Performs loading and unloading of trucks or containers
• Can be involved in handling special cargo movements including perishable goods, dangerous goods, IT equipment etc
• Processes Ocean or Air Freight (packing and/or cargo), e.g. marking, neutralization, labelling, sorting, etc.
• Supports Handling Team Leader to meet operational targets
• Helps to ensure contractor adherence to quality procedures
• Maintains pro‑active communication/relationship with both peers and customer’s trucker
• Attends to daily inbound/outbound activities of the warehouse
• Records all inbound/outbound deliveries
• Conducts random physical (pre‑)inspections of the inbound/outbound cargo
• Maintains cleanliness and orderliness of the warehouse
• Observes and follows strictly the warehouse safety and security policy and procedures
• Observes proper use of warehouse tools and equipment
• Reports any incident inside the warehouse
• Participates in the regular cycle counting activities
• Maintains good transaction files of the warehouse
• Forklift license training.
• Ensures that all interactions are compliant with DPDHL Code of Conduct and other compliance requirements e.g. anti‑corruption
• Contribute to the First Choice continuous improvement program

Skills and Experience:

• Results driven and good attention to detail
• Effective interpersonal skills
• Good administrative and organisational skills
• Ability to prioritise and perform under pressure
• Ability to prioritise tasks and use own initiative
• Minimum of 5 x GCSE passes including English and Maths

Benefits:

• A competitive salary
• Generous holiday entitlement
• Eligibility to participate in the Employee Incentive Bonus Scheme
• Pension scheme which includes life assurance
• Access to professional employee assistance and wellbeing programme
• A competitive package of voluntary benefits including retail, entertainment, gym membership, cycle to work scheme, contribution to eye care costs, and many more discounts
• Training and Development opportunities with a strong focus on internal promotion

HOURS/SHIFT PATTERN:

37.5 hours per week

REPORTS TO:

Warehouse Manager

Due to the nature of our business we are regulated by the CAA (Civil Aviation Authority), therefore it is compulsory for all applicants once offered employment to provide a full 5 year employment history. Additional to this we are required to carry out a Criminal Record Check.

DHL is the leading global brand in the logistics industry. Our DHL divisions offer an unrivalled portfolio of logistics services ranging from national and international parcel delivery, e-commerce shipping and fulfillment solutions, international express, road, air and ocean transport to industrial supply chain management. DHL connects people and businesses securely and reliably, enabling global sustainable trade flows.

Our culture is focused on personal commitment – to our customers, to each other, to our communities and to the environment. We reward excellent work and we nurture the talents of our employees. This enables you as an employee to develop your expertise and your career in different areas or divisions – and even in other countries.

We are committed to creating a workplace that ensures mutual respect and is focused on results. We hire talented people from all backgrounds – irrespective of gender, disability, nationality, ethnicity, social background, religion and beliefs, age or sexual orientation and identity. Diversity enriches our workplace, drives our success, and helps us deliver excellence.

By submitting your application, you agree that DGF UK will process your personal data for the purpose of recruitment and selection. We handle all data in accordance with the UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018. To understand what information we collect, how we use it, and your rights, please read our full Privacy Policy.