Amongst the non-traditional careers, the fastest growing segment is undoubtedly the freight forwarding industry which includes the cargo, courier, logistics and airline industries. Here are few reasons why…

Exports from India has grown by 11% this year. A cargo hub scheduled to be up in Nagpur by 2006 which will generate 2 lakh jobs - Cathay to expand freight operations in India. This all augurs well for the freight forwarding industry which has been steadily growing at the rate of 8 % per annum. 

With the open skies policy in the 1990s the freight forwarding companies has seen steady progress and many CHA firms as well as Clearing and Handling companies have diversified into air freight handling. Several transport companies like Patel Roadways, Western Arya, etc. have also entered the freight business seeing the potential of the Cargo Industry. Even companies like DHL, Blue Dart, TNT etc. have recorded more profits compared to last year as the courier industry too has grown phenomenally. To enter the Cargo and Courier industry, the most prestigious qualifications are the IATA/FIATA courses from Montreal, Canada and you can avail of the Introductory Cargo and Dangerous Goods qualifications in a span of 6 months which are important pre-requisites to seek employment in the Cargo/Courier centre. 

Subhash Motwani, Director - IHCTM (Institute of Hotel, Cargo and Tourism Management) - the ONLY authorized training centre in Mumbai states that the number of enrolments have increased and some of his students who had appeared for the April or June 2003 examinations this year have already been inducted by carriers such as Emirates, Eva Air, British Airways, El-Al Israel Airlines. IHCTM is the leading authorized training centres in India offering the Dangerous Goods course.

Subhash says that the significance of the Dangerous Goods qualifications has increased in the last couple of years with the increased security requirements at the airports. In fact from 2003, IATA has incorporated a new segment of airline personnel for whom it is mandatory to be trained in the IATA/FIATA Dangerous Goods qualifications. The personnel are classified in Category 9 of training known as the Cargo Acceptance Staff. IHCTM is one of the preferred institutes in training amongst companies and organizations such as Pan Alpina, IAL Logistics, Jet Air Freight and even Air Sahara, Delhi send their staff to be trained at IHCTM which yet again recorded excellent results for the Dangerous Goods qualifications - out of 34 candidates who appeared in June 2003 examinations, 32 of them passed the exams out of which 18 got a distinction which is over 90%.

Dangerous Goods Training does not require any Science or Technical qualifications as it deals with the formaility of Identifying, Classifying, Packing, Marking, Labelling and Documentation of hazardous goods by air as per the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR) manual which is published every year. In fact, as new and new hazardous materials are discovered, the exam has to be given every two years- subsequent exams are called the DG refresher courses. The examination comprises of one paper and is an open book exam - you have to refer to the DGR manual comprising of over 800 pages and answer your paper in 3 hours and score 80% to pass in the exams. The exams are held thrice a year and exams are administered by AIR INDIA STAFF COLLEGE, Kalina and paper goes for correction to IATA (International Air Transport Association), Montreal, Canada.

As more and more freight forwarding companies are seeking IATA accreditation the significance of Dangerous Goods has grown as one of the pre-requisites to get accreditation for IATA is to have atleast two employees working in the firm who have completed the Dangerous Goods qualifications. There are some undergraduates who work at call centres to earn a quick buck and their Dangerous Goods Diploma qualification is used by some companies to renew their accreditation as there is shortage of Dangerous Goods qualified personnel and the companies in fact give a retainer of Rs 1500 to Rs 2500 per month to the candidate to utilize the diploma for renewing their accreditation with IATA. The total investment for a Dangerous Goods as for the fees are concerned may range from Rs 26000 ( for a basic Diploma in Cargo followed by Dangerous Goods course from IATA) to Rs 38000 (which includes two IATA qualifications including the IATA/FIATA Introductory Cargo course and the Dangerous Goods course).

A graduate with the Dangerous Goods qualification can start at a minimum remuneration of Rs 7000 to Rs 8000 per month and on working for atleast two years in the industry can get twice the starting remuneration and a higher position in the company. Several students on completing the course go abroad. Subhash says one of his students Clyton D'souza is currently employed with DNATA in Dubai as an Aircraft Despatcher and another student Amber Kapadia is working at London Heathrow as an Export Manager with Swissport Cargo Services. Even girls have equally good opportunities and one of the students of IHCTM Vrushali is working with Malaysian Cargo whereas another student has headed for the Gulf for greener pastures after having gained two years of experience with a well known Cargo firm in Mumbai. Some of the students who have completed courses several years ago, as IHCTM has been offering the courses since 1995, are currently employed in Singapore Airlines, Delta Airlines, Kuwait Airways, Emirates, Jet Airways, etc. 

Thus, if you are looking for a futuristic career which will give you global employment opportunities go for Dangerous Goods course and you will go places……

Dangerous Goods Course Ensures A high level of safety and avoid dangerous goods violations by identifying undeclared hazardous material

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