Some pof South Africa’s largest companies offer fleet management services like, Imperial Fleet management, CAT and many others. The opportunities for employees with fleet management qualifications are extremely sought after in both the fleet management industry as well as companies that operate their own fleet of vehicles and can include Transport and shipping companies, crane hire companies or large corporates that have a fleet of vehicles.

Among the many disciplines you will become proficient in are the effective management of vehicles and the services required to maintain the value of the companies investment in their fleet and equipment.

Consider for a moment the value of trucks and crane trucks to a crane hire company where the vehicles are rented out on a daily basis anywhere from R3 000 to R60 000 per day. The loss of 3 days work due to the vehicle not being in service is astronomical. This is a good example of the responsibilities of a fleet management expert, ensuring that all vehicles and equipment in the fleet are serviced and maintained on time, every time, that vehicles in need of repairs are dealt with in the most efficient manner reducing the number of days it is out of service.

What is also a very important part of a fleet managers job is the monitoring of fuel usage, tool inventory and the tracking and planning of routes to optimize the usage of the vehicle.

A fleet manager would generally report to the financial director.

The NSFAS is all about getting results and awarding student loans to students who are committed to achieving results that are not in a position to fund their studies themselves or be assisted by family members.

What you need to do in order to submit an application for a NSFAS study loan.

You must be a South African Citizen and hold an SA identity document

You must have been accepted to a University or University of Technology

You must be able to demonstrate your ability and show a true desire to succeed in your chosen faculty

You must be in a position where funding your studies personally or through family assistance is not possible.

If you are driven to succeed and the only obstacle to you achieving your goals in life is the ability to afford to study further, are committed to making a difference in South Africa and have the determination to do whtever is necessary to achieve your goals, then the NSFAS may be the place for you to secure funding for your studies.

The NSFAS is not a bank, and students are appraised very carefully to ensure that the money is loaned to worthy students who are dedicated and have a desire to achieve.

First, apply at the educational institution where you are planning to study. Some institutions will issue you with an application for study together with an application for financial aid. You need to enquire from the institution about their processes and deadlines for both. Submit both applications to the institution and if you have any questions contact the Financial Aid Office (FAO) on campus who will:
Evaluate your ability to succeed in your chosen study direction. Advise you about study loans and help you with the student loan application. Explain how you’ll access the money and repay your student loan, importantly, decide whether you are financially needy of a study loan. Contact the NSFAS Call Centre on 021 763 3232 for more information.

Funding education with student financial aid

If a career that will place you in a position where promotion is your key driver, logistics and supply chain management is for you.

If a fast paced working environment with high levels of responsibility and accountability are not what you seek, logistics and supply chain management is not for you.

Funding your studies can be done in a number of even if you already have existing student loans through Loan Consolidation.

A Diploma in Logistics and supply chain management. Diploma courses are offered both online and as full time study.

Diploma Course information
Studying online

Consider a Degree in Logistics and supply chain management

MBA in Logistics and supply chain management, (now also being offered by the GIBS institute)

Online Masters degree in Logistics

Logistics in South Africa is responsible for between 13% and 15% of Gross GDP and any further increase will make it extremely difficult for South African companies to remain competitive.

The supply chain is arguably the most important aspect of every business’ operations and an efficient supply chain has the ability to:

1. Offset cost increases

Many companies are currently facing a carbon tax which needs to be offset by saving money and the supply chain is the natural choice. By improving efficiencies, using suppliers that are actively reducing their carbon footprints and better management of transport assets are the responsibilty of the Supply chain manager.

While governments and policy makers sit around tables argueing about where to offset these costs, you as the supply chain manager need to deal with it here and now.

2. Increase shareholder returns

Huge amounts of money and goodwill are invested in assets and services to ensure that goods arrive on time, in the right place at the right price and it is these services which play a large role in developing and maintaining customer loyalty. As a logistics and supply chain manager, these are your responsibilities.

This is but a small introduction to the types of issues and pressures that a supply chain manager needs to deal with, giving you an indication of the importance of the field of logistics and supply chain management.

For those more interested in individual parts of the supply chain, we recommend you read the following.

Stores and stock control

Transport Logistics

Warehouse Management

Procurement and distribution logistics

The vast and varied experience of Imperial Logistics, coupled with it’s association with the Imperial Group make The company an excellent choice for Logistics and supply chain management qualified people to gain the experience and advancement that you are seeking.

Our key differentiators lie in a combination of preeminent supply chain management skills and an extensive resource base of transportation, warehousing and storage, as well as best-of-breed technology systems. We anticipate industry dynamics rather than simply reacting to them.

Imperial Logistics Service Offerings are very broad and encompass the entire supply chain from end to end.

Warehousing and Distribution
International Freight Logistics
Transport
Business Process Outsourcing
Consulting services and  Advisory Services
Advanced Logistics and supply chain management IT Solutions
Inter-modal Logistics
Supply Chain Management

Imperial Logistics employs more than half of the Entire Imperial groups staff compliment, employing 21 000 people of the 40 000 in the Imperial Group.

Imperial Logistics is a leader in innovation and services some of The Worlds leading Brands.

HR & CAREERS ENQUIRIES
Sarika Tewary
Tel:+27 11 872 1600
Email:sarika@il.co.za

The National student Financial Aid Scheme offers previously disadvantaged students the ability to loan money for education purposes and only start repaying the loan when they are gainfully employed. This is one example of the world first in education loans. The second is the ability to convert to student loan into a bursary by performing well in your studies. The SA Government is totally committed to improving the level of education across the board in SA and if you attend class, study hard and produce above average results, your student loan could be converted into a bursary. This is a second World first for education loans.

The Financial Aid scheme in South Africa relies on both Government funding as well as funding from Local and International businesses, manages funds on behalf of organisations and provides a level of funding which includes not only tuition fees but living expenses during your studies. Applying for a student loan is made easy through offices at most Higher learning institutions and Universities around the country.

Possible the most incredible part of getting a student loan with the Student financial aid scheme is that you only start repaying your loan once you are earning over R30 000 per year and the repayment amount will be between 3% and 8% depending on how much you are earning. This again is a world first for Student loans.

By studying what you enjoy and fulfilling your curious taste for success is made possible by studying Supply Chain Management and Logistics.

One of the main reasons to study logistics through an online distance learning or part time studies institution is to earn while you learn.  This allows learners to improve their skills while on the job, implement what they have learned and it makes a good impression on employers.

One can always further ones career by studying related courses through reliable distance learning institutions or online studies. Should you require a student loan or financial aid to cover your studies some institutions will assist you with applying for a student loan. There is a career in studying Logistics and Supply Chain Management should you have exceptional organisational skills and you enjoy analysing data.

Logistics refers to getting the correct product or service to the correct place at the exact time and very importantly at the right price.  Many factors will influence this process and systems need to be at an optimum and functional level for customer satisfaction to take place.

One needs to consider that goods require protection and therefore warehousing can be costly but necessary when it comes to supply chain management and logistics.  How does one keep track of goods/items, who will make sure they arrive at their destination on time?  What information systems are available to make the best strategic decisions.  What futuristic events could possibly unfold from an economic point of view which will impede the process of the items going from one destination to the next?

These are the type of questions involved when it comes to starting a position in Logistics.  It can be stressful and by coping under pressure and knowing your job function and what is required of you, will place you in a promising position, should you have an interest in logistics.

If you are unsure then shadowing or being an apprentice in a well known logistics company will facilitate you in making the right decision and should you perform well in the position, are likely to assist with funding your education.

Job opportunities exist with many companies; import and export play an essential role in the economy. Logistics and Supply Chain Management is considered to be a high profile job and the earning potential is worth taking your free time to study a subject from which you can make a decent income.

Debt consolidation loans in South Africa are also available to students who have taken out loans, be they personal loans or study loans necessary to fund their education and now find that the fees and interest are mounting up. Debt consolidation loans are very effective in reducing fees and costs by consolidating all of your debt into a single loan repayable over a suitable period. The fact is that each bank or each loan you take out has bank charges, fees and interest so if you have multiple loans like credit card debt, personal loans and store credit, you are paying fees and finance charges on each account or loan.

By consolidating all of your debt into a single loan you are effectively reducing the amount you are paying in finance charges, fees and in some cases on the interest as well. Debt consolidation in South Africa is very effectively used by students to reduce their overall monthly liability making it affordable and viable to continue studying to achieve your education goals.

Let us assume that you are starting your third year and have taken out personal loans and student loans in your first two years of study. You now need a further loan to complete your degree. Each loan is costing you Rx.00 in bank charges or administration fees, Rx.00 in interest, Rx.00 in statement fees and any number of other charges that financial institutions charge and are now applying for a third loan which will attract the same charges.

By using debt consolidation in South Africa you are effectively cutting your charges and fees to a single fee which can amount to a significant amount of money better used to reduce your capital.

What are student loans?

Student loans are financial assistance loans given to student to cover the costs of their education. This is not to be confused with a bursary where living expenses, transport books and other incidental expenses are covered by the sponsoring company or institution. Student loans offered by the banks or authorized financial institutions essentially cover the fees.

These loans are generally granted on an annual basis and like all other loans are granted on the basis of your ability to repay the loan over a period of time dependent on your performance.

So what are student loans? They are loans granted to a student based on his/her abilities in the classroom as well as the ability to repay the loan and need to be applied for on an annual basis.

How must a student loan be repaid?

A student loan needs to be repaid over a pre-determined period at an interest rate which is favourable and in some cases is linked to inflation which at this time is very low when compared to the personal loan rates charged by banks.

In most cases monthly payments are required and for those who require a study loan over a number of years, student loan consolidation is a very wise option. Read more on student loan consolidation.

What Interest rate is charged on student loans?

The best student loans are those that have a flexible repayment schedule and offer low interest rates. You want to be able to sit your exams without worrying about needing to make a payment and the best student loans are those which offer a temporary respite during exam times. If this is not possible it is important to make the student loan you are approved for, work for you by making additional payments toward the loan before exams, giving you the freedom to study and effectively making the facility the best student loan for you.

Student financial Aid is also available from Government funded financial institutions which may be the best student loan option for you. Consider all of the options before you jump into a commitment. There are many student loan services that assist you to apply for your student loan and will advise you of the best student loan for your circumstances.

We must remember that in order to improve service delivery the entire supply chain needs to function seamlessly, right from ensuring the equipment is serviced regularly and parts are available in an instant, to the labelling and dispatching of orders to be delivered to customers. In each of the separate areas of responsibility and depending on the size of the business, a specialist who has the right skills and ability to communicate effectively to the other areas of the supply chain are imperative.

There are two main areas that effective logistics target and you can specialise in one of the functions or many function with a logistics and supply chain management diploma, the first relates to performance which in essence deals with customer satisfaction issues and getting the right products to the right place at the right time. The second deals with cost issues, in essence being able to meet the logistics performance targets at a lower cost by examining every aspect of the performance functions and identifying ways to reduce costs.

The logistics management system: Logistics management systems are software applications that integrate with the company applications, track and report on the efficiency of the various logistical functions. These are extremely important systems to understand which provide both management and customers with the latest information.

Do you form part of a Procurement team or do you see yourself in the procurement side of the business? This area deals with researching the market and the suppliers, deciding who to buy from and ensuring that efficiencies are maintained.

Production Logistics sits in between production and distribution, includes warehousing management and is often seen as the most important part of the Logistics management function.

Distribution Logistics is what was traditionally seen as the logistics function before specialization within the Logistics field. For companies to compete on a global platform in a world that is increasingly being supplied from by companies from every corner of the Globe, Logistics and the effective management of the supply chain is a critical function that will ultimately determine the success or failure of a business.

Get yourself a Logistics Qualification and put yourself in a position where advancement is a given and due to the importance of the function, companies offer education financing options as well as the various institutions offering Student Financial Aid.

An online degree in logistics and supply chain management is an extremely sought after qualification in an increasingly globalized world. It can be argued that logistics and a good understanding of the supply chain is the secret to success of any business, particularly if that business is planning to expand Nationally or Internationally. The logistics and supply chain functions are critical to gaining an insight into the expectations of business partners, their ability to support your business on its growth path and the value they are able to add in your businesses goals to deliver.

The World is a competitive place, margins are being squeezed and the bigger the players the more they demand from both a pricing perspective and a delivery expectation.

A person qualified with a degree in Logistics and supply chain management offers a company the ability to maximise efficiencies in the supply chain to help steer the company in the direction where costs are saved, deliverables are improved and is able to plot a course forward for future efficiency improvements.

Online degrees in Logistics and supply chain management are not business degrees per say, they are specialist business degrees that offer companies who employ people holding a degree in logistics and supply chain management an insight into the supply chain that had never been considered before.

When you consider which Online University to read your degree in logistics supply chain management, be it an undergraduate degree, a graduate degree or a masters degree in Supply chain management there is research that needs to be done before your part with your money.

Firstly, check that the University is accredited with International bodies that are recognised as educators.

Secondly, see that the online degree program offers you the ability to study after hours with professors available during your afterhours study. This is one of the reasons that online degree programs at Overseas Universities have become so popular. After hours for us in South Africa is the start of the day in the United States and there are bursary and student loan options available.

Thirdly, compare the costs of the online degree programs in Logistics and supply chain management being offered by the institutions and remember that the cheaper it is the more you need to research the institution.

Good luck with your studies, a bright future awaits the graduate with an online degree in logistics and supply chain management.