How to become a transport and distribution clerk or assistant

Official title: Transport and distribution clerks and assistants

Also called: Cargo clerk, Export clerk, Import clerk, Freight clerk, Systems clerk, Traffic clerk, Routeing clerk, Shipping clerk, Logistics clerk, Principal clerk, Schedules clerk, Transport clerk

Transport and distribution clerks and assistants perform various clerical functions relating to the transport and distribution of goods and freight.

Main tasks

• Processes customer orders and forwards requisition documentation to storage and distribution personnel
• Formulates delivery loads, vehicle schedules and routes to be followed by delivery staff
• Monitors tachograph readings and maintains records of hours worked and distance travelled by drivers
• Obtains customs clearance and processes import and export documentation necessary for the movement of goods between countries
• Maintains records regarding the movement and location of freight, containers and staff

How to become one

There are no minimum academic requirements, although entrants usually possess GCSEs/S grades. Training is usually provided on-the-job. NVQs/ SVQs in relevant areas are available at levels 1, 2 and 3.

Ways in

• Apprenticeship (England): International freight forwarding specialist (level 3). England. Typically 18 months. Skills England standard ST0539.
• Apprenticeship (England): Transport and warehouse operations supervisor (level 3). England. Typically 12 months. Skills England standard ST0647.

Pay · Outlook

• Median full-time pay: £33,508 a year The middle half earn £27,996 to £39,496.
• About 62,100 people work in this job now, and about 59,000 are projected by 2035. (-5%)

Related jobs

• Records clerks and assistants
• Pensions and insurance clerks and assistants
• Stock control clerks and assistants
• Library clerks and assistants
• Human resources administrative occupations

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Questions people ask

How do I become a transport and distribution clerk or assistant?

There are no minimum academic requirements, although entrants usually possess GCSEs/S grades. Training is usually provided on-the-job. NVQs/ SVQs in relevant areas are available at levels 1, 2 and 3.

How much does a transport and distribution clerk or assistant earn in the UK?

Median full-time pay is £33,508 a year (Office for National Statistics). The middle half earn £27,996 to £39,496.

Is a transport and distribution clerk or assistant a growing career in the UK?

Employment is projected to fall 5% by 2035, from about 62,100 to about 59,000 people (Department for Education).

Do you need a degree to become a transport and distribution clerk or assistant?

Usually not. Only 23% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: International freight forwarding specialist (level 3).

Sources

• Office for National Statistics: Annual Population Survey: employment by occupation (April 2025 to March 2026), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• Office for National Statistics: SOC 2020 Volume 1: structure and descriptions (2026-08-27 edition), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• Department for Education: Skills Imperative 2035: employment projections by occupation (2021 to 2035 (Warwick IER / Cambridge Econometrics)), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• Office for National Statistics: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Table 14 (2025 provisional), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03