The wonderful women of Virgin Atlantic Cargo: Jo Holmes

^{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…

My role as a Customer Service Adviser at Virgin Atlantic Cargo is really varied and exciting. Day to day I will be making bookings of all different kinds of commodities including cars, pharmaceuticals, food items and dangerous goods. Every day is different, and this is one of the things I love about my job. I really enjoy talking to my customers and have built up some really great relationships as I will talk to the same people every day, sometimes 5 or 6 times in a single day!

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

I was working for Virgin Holidays in Retail when I saw the role in Cargo advertised and just thought it sounded really interesting, so I applied and have never looked back since! I had no experience previously, and was a little daunted at first at how different the freight side of the business is compared to passenger, but seeing in much more depth at what really goes on in the hold of the aircraft and some of the things we carry has been fascinating, and of course the way the whole Cargo team pulled together during the pandemic to deliver Cargo only flying makes me so proud to be part of this department.

"I really enjoy talking to my customers and have built up some really great relationships as I will talk to the same people every day, sometimes 5 or 6 times in a single day!"

What do you value most about working for Virgin Atlantic Cargo?

The thing I value most about working for Virgin Atlantic Cargo is easily the people I work with. I have a fantastic team around me, we all help and support each other but have fun at the same time as working hard. I was told when I started working in Cargo it would be like being part of a large family, and three years later I can honestly say it really is. Our management team is also very supportive, and I genuinely enjoy being at work every day.

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

I lost my Mum around 6 years ago; however, she would always be so encouraging to do a job that I love, and she would always support me in my decisions which meant a lot. I am also lucky to have a lovely Mother-in-Law who is also extremely supportive, plus friends who will always encourage me to be the best I can be in whatever role I do, and in life in general.

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

I would say absolutely go for it – every day is interesting; you will learn so much about a completely different side to the business and have loads of fun too in the process. You may also become a bit of a geek like me – I get excited when I receive a package with a dangerous goods label on it and I know exactly what it’s for!