u/AdBetter6224

Hi everyone,

I’m currently working in the freight forwarding industry in Melbourne and have around 5–6 years of experience, mainly in cartage coordination and customer service. I’m also studying to become a licensed customs broker, and I only have three subjects left. I expect to finish the course by the end of this year.

The challenge I’m facing is that I really want to move into customs-related work, especially compiling entries, tariff classification, compliance, or anything that would help me build practical experience toward becoming a customs broker.

However, in my current new company, I’ve been told several times that I may get the opportunity to learn or assist with customs work, but it never really happens. At the same time, they are still hiring other people for compiler/compliance-related roles, so I feel like I’m stuck in cartage/customer service with no real pathway to transition.

I’ve also tried looking for customs compiler, classifier, or entry-level customs roles online, but there seem to be very few opportunities in Melbourne. Most of them require previous customs experience, which is exactly what I’m trying to gain.

I had talked with a couple of agencies, but they only put me into their system and recommended me to transfer to the import role and wait for an opportunity

For people already working in customs broking or freight forwarding, what would be the best way to get practical customs experience after finishing the course?

Would it be better to:

apply for customs broker assistant / junior compiler roles even without direct experience;

approach smaller customs brokerages directly;

ask for unpaid shadowing or work experience;

move to another forwarding company with a stronger customs team ( which I did twice, but I always received an oral promise which never came true);

Or keep building forwarding experience and wait until I complete the course?

I’m very willing to start from a junior level and learn properly. I just don’t know how to break into this area when most roles seem to require experience already.

Any advice from customs brokers, compilers, classifiers, or people who transitioned from forwarding operations into customs would be really appreciated.

Thank you!

Hi everyone,

I’m currently working in the freight forwarding industry in Melbourne and have around 5–6 years of experience, mainly in cartage coordination and customer service. I’m also studying to become a licensed customs broker, and I only have three subjects left. I expect to finish the course by the end of this year.

The challenge I’m facing is that I really want to move into customs-related work, especially compiling entries, tariff classification, compliance, or anything that would help me build practical experience toward becoming a customs broker.

However, in my current new company, I’ve been told several times that I may get the opportunity to learn or assist with customs work, but it never really happens. At the same time, they are still hiring other people for compiler/compliance-related roles, so I feel like I’m stuck in cartage/customer service with no real pathway to transition.

I’ve also tried looking for customs compiler, classifier, or entry-level customs roles online, but there seem to be very few opportunities in Melbourne. Most of them require previous customs experience, which is exactly what I’m trying to gain.

I had talked with a couple of agencies, but they only put me into their system and recommended me to transfer to the import role and wait for an opportunity

For people already working in customs broking or freight forwarding, what would be the best way to get practical customs experience after finishing the course?

Would it be better to:

apply for customs broker assistant / junior compiler roles even without direct experience;

approach smaller customs brokerages directly;

ask for unpaid shadowing or work experience;

move to another forwarding company with a stronger customs team ( which I did twice, but I always received an oral promise which never came true);

Or keep building forwarding experience and wait until I complete the course?

I’m very willing to start from a junior level and learn properly. I just don’t know how to break into this area when most roles seem to require experience already.

Any advice from customs brokers, compilers, classifiers, or people who transitioned from forwarding operations into customs would be really appreciated.

Thank you!