THE PERFECT PACKAGE
IT is the job most Australians already are licensed for that also allows them to choose their own hours and not be stuck in an office.
Employers of courier drivers are craving more workers to meet demand for deliveries ranging from small personal packages to large construction materials.
Aceit Couriers managing director Darren Geddie says the sector has experienced growth in the past four years but it has been hard to source drivers to do the work.
“Because you need a vehicle, that’s one aspect of it,” he says. “In the old days, drivers would work Monday to Friday, and work a certain number of hours, but now it’s nonrestrictive, you can work the number of hours you want – it’s your own business.
“It’s similar to what Uber has done, in some aspects.”
Job Outlook reports minimal growth in the national workforce in the five years to May, 2023, but job openings in the same period – created through turnover and retirement – are substantial, at 28,000 of the 44,000 people now employed.
Geddie also predicts it is not a job that can be automated any time soon.
“You’ll always need someone to pick it up and do manual handling – unless they get really clever, and have robots to drive the car and take the parcel out,” he says.
“(Couriers) have got to be of good health, got to be able to lift some capacity, and have good communication skills.”
Couriers receive training such as in manual handling and customer service when they are employed.
Allied Express managing director Michelle McDowell says many industries can face disruption and become obsolete but the logistics industry will always be required to move a product from A to B.
“If I could get double the drivers we have, that would be fantastic,” she says. “For someone who doesn’t like sitting still, it’s a great career. There’s lots of action and freedom in driving on the roads.”
Both companies report staff turnover but also have drivers pursuing long-term careers in the role including some who have been with the businesses for decades.
Couriers can use one of myriad vehicles for deliveries, ranging from a bicycle to a semi-trailer.
While they need to purchase their own vehicle, and work as subcontractors for most companies, they can get guidance and support from their employer to ensure the working relationship is successful. The smaller the vehicle, the smaller the size of the deliveries, which can affect potential income, although the opposite also can apply.
SEEK reports the average advertised salary for couriers is $59,256 but Geddie says some can earn up to $2000 a week.
Geddie recommends working at least three days a week and while most work occurs between 7.30am and 2pm, couriers do not have to be tied to an eight-hour day.
“They can start when they want, and work five hours a day,” Geddie says.
McDowell says there are career paths available into other roles. If couriers want to work their way up from a small vehicle to a semi-trailer, or from the road into office or management roles, they often have first shot at opportunities.
Part-time courier driver Kerin Geddie loves getting away from her desk and out into the fresh air to make deliveries.
She is primarily employed in administration at a courier company, however, will get out on the road when there are too many packages to deliver and not enough drivers.