The wonderful women of Virgin Atlantic Cargo: Laurn Baldwin

^{Posted: 25th February, 2022}

To celebrate International Women's Day 2022, we are championing the women of Virgin Atlantic Cargo; sharing their experiences and what they love about Logistics.

Tell us about your role at Virgin Atlantic Cargo…

I started at Virgin Atlantic Cargo just before the 2010 World Cup was to be hosted in South Africa and have since been the Manager of Regional Cargo Sales for South Africa and Lagos. I am essentially responsible for all cargo commercial activities in the region, and I manage a small contact centre. Customer satisfaction and service delivery are our two main areas of focus, in an open and honest environment, where our customers can trust what we say and that we deliver on our promises.

"I was fascinated with this whole new world and relished the new learning opportunities, the fast pace and the ever-changing landscape. The rest is history!"

What led you to the cargo industry? And what is it about the industry you enjoy the most?

Quite by default actually, I was teaching and a friend asked if I knew anyone that would be interested in a reception position at a local GSA. When I heard the salary and the work that was entailed, I jumped at the position. After a brief stint of 3 months a position became available in the Contact Centre and I applied. I was fascinated with this whole new world and relished the new learning opportunities, the fast pace and the ever-changing landscape. The rest is history!

How do you feel the presence of women in the industry has evolved?

Hugely, when I started this industry was entirely male dominated with little to no women, other than data capture clerks. The logistics/aviation world has changed dramatically - there are more women in all aspects of the industry and a large number in senior roles. Women have to juggle family and work demands and this is why we are successful in the industry. We juggle multiple balls all the time and still remain focused and passionate about delivering the very best to our larger customer family.

Tell us about some women who have, or continue to, inspire you in your career or your everyday life…

Karen Clayden was my manager when I worked for Expeditors and this lady continues to grow and go from strength to strength. Her focus was always on getting the very best out of her staff, she made sure that she utilised our skills and talents by placing us in, and even creating, positions where she could develop them and derive the very best opportunities for the company. Furthermore, she always approached everything with a smile and kindness.

What would you say to a female who’s thinking about a career in the logistics industry?

If you are someone that is bored easily by routine and mundane activities, this is the industry to look into seriously.

The sky is the limit within logistics as it is multifaceted and there are so many areas of expertise to explore. If you are not afraid of hard work, fun and constant learning then you have found your home. This is not a job; this is a lifestyle and ultimately a family. The industry is large but at the same time a village. Making friends on a global basis is a given. I never had a desire as a school child to be in this industry, my path landed me here and I can honestly say that I could not imagine any other place for me.