Long before starting my career in the 3PL industry with Mactrans, I was like many other college or university students; I had no idea which direction I wanted to take my career. Having to choose my post-secondary future by mid-grade 12, I chose to enter into a kinesiology program. By my 3rd year of kinesiology, I started looking at entry-level jobs for when I graduated, but needless to say, the starting and projected future salaries were very low. At that point, I figured I would just finish my degree and see where life takes me. I had always stayed in contact with friends from high school, and when it came time to graduate I reached out to a few of them to see what their next steps were. One of my friends told me he worked at a freight brokerage, where his starting salary was more than a kinesiology salary, even with 5 years of experience, and his career growth potential was sky-high.
After hearing that, I started to apply to every 3PL company in the Canadian Growth 500 list, and since the industry was growing rapidly there was a few to choose from. Having worked for both big and small companies previously, I knew that I wanted to work for a smaller company so my opinions would be valued, and I could make suggestions to help the company’s growth. Mactrans Owner and President Joel MacKay were looking for seasoned professionals with a book of business they could bring with them to the role. Regardless, I applied to the role and was hired on as a Logistics Account Manager.
Mactrans Growth
The entire 3PL industry is in a growth phase right now, and Mactrans is along for the ride. The rapid growth that Mactrans has experienced over the last 3 years has been incredible to witness, and it has taken my career to a level I didn’t think was possible this quickly. I went from entry-level to running my own office with a team of 4 in about 3 years.
My personal career growth speaks to the breakneck expansion of Mactrans and the 3PL industry as a whole, because my story is not that unique and will become more common in the coming years. Mactrans has grown from a 3 person company in 2009 working out of a small office in Vaughan, to a 30+ person company with 3 office locations today. There are vast amounts of room for growth working at Mactrans and it could be the start of a big jump forward in the career of the right employee(s).
Mactrans has grown so much in the last 10 years in large part to our company culture. Our offices run smoothly because of our open communication and collaborative teamwork. Every employee is knowledgeable and a master of their role and our open communication style has proven that making suggestions and adding to the conversation will always be encouraged. There were many different management styles involved in forming this company culture and it is a nice change of pace to be able to offer your opinion and have it valued.
In 2018, we were the 421st fastest growing company in Canada, according to the growth 500 list, and we’re looking to push that even higher for 2019!
3PL Industry Growth
3PL is one of the fastest-growing industries in the world right now, and it’s not slowing down. 3PL was valued at $850 billion in 2017 and is projected to be worth $1.5 trillion globally by 2025, with about 7% growth per year. This could be for a variety of reasons, but experts are pinning it mostly on the expansion of the e-commerce industry and increased focus on core competencies from manufacturers and retailers. With online shopping becoming more commonplace than brick and mortar shopping, it only makes sense than the 3PL industry is on pace to grow year over year (Source: PR News Wire).
Career Advancement in 3PL
What this global growth for 3PL means for Mactrans is that it will open up new opportunities, internal career advancement, and create roles that previously didn’t exist. Career advancement similar to my own will become more common, as there is a need for good employees to take on bigger and more important roles within these booming organizations and this fast-growing industry. Even with the talk about the future of automation, such as self-driving trucks and other autonomous shipping methods, there will still be a strong need for people to organize, direct, and track these transportation methods. The need for on-your-feet thinking and problem solving will not go away when autonomous vehicles become the norm, and career growth and opportunities in 3PL Operations will continue to rise. Especially with the most recent tariffs imposed on many different materials and industries, costs continue to rise for both domestic and international logistics, which means more revenue for a 3PL company.
Conclusion
While my story seems like it may be an outlier, that’s not the case at all. The 3PL industry has been growing rapidly for the last 8-10 years, and it doesn’t appear that anything will slow it down. Mactrans has been one of the fastest-growing companies in Canada over the past few years and we’re not looking to stop now. The industry as a whole is on pace to break record numbers ($1.5tn by 2025), so if you’re looking for a career with guaranteed growth opportunities, consider applying to a company in the 3PL industry. Mactrans has shown me that they’re not only invested in their revenue but they’re also invested in helping employees grow and advance their career on a much quicker trajectory that most other industries.
