How to get a logistics & transportation internship
Logistics employers recruit at fall career fairs and hire sales and operations interns year-round. They look for students who stay calm when a shipment goes wrong.
1. Know when logistics & transportation internships recruit
- Sophomore yearJoin your school’s supply chain or logistics club, often an ASCM student chapter, and ask the career center about co-ops.
- Junior fall (Sep–Oct)Carriers, freight forwarders, 3PLs and retailers’ distribution teams recruit at fall career fairs.
- Year-roundFreight brokerages and 3PLs often hire sales and operations interns on a rolling basis.
- Junior springRemaining summer roles, including warehouse and transportation operations at mid-size firms.
2. Build the skills employers check
- Excel
- Negotiation
- Transportation management systems (TMS)
- Problem solving under time pressure
- Data analysis
- Communication with carriers and customers
3. Take certifications in the right order
None is required, but each shows a skill. Start at the top: the first ones need no background.
- Supply Chain, Inventory and Logistics — NRF Foundation · RISE Up. Paid
- Learn How to Export — International Trade Administration. Reference · about 8 hours
- Excel training paths — Microsoft Learn. Free · about 8 hours
- SAP Learning journeys — SAP. Free · about 20 hours
- Accenture job simulations — Forage. Free · about 5 hours
The Finder shows the whole path for logistics & transportation, three ways: fastest and free, balanced, and a stretch toward the most demanding credentials. See also every logistics & transportation certification.
4. Aim at the right roles
- Logistics or transportation analyst intern — Tracks shipments, carrier costs and on-time performance, and looks for cheaper routes.
- Freight broker or carrier sales intern — Matches shippers’ loads with trucking companies and negotiates rates.
- Warehouse or distribution center intern — Improves receiving, picking, packing and shipping on the floor.
- Import/export or customs intern — Prepares shipping documents and helps goods clear customs.
5. Use the words recruiters look for
Put the ones that are true for you on your resume, in your own sentences.
How to write a business internship resume
6. Practice the interview
- Behavioral interview questions, which every business interview asks
Tips for logistics & transportation internships
- Join your supply chain or logistics club and go to the fall career fair; carriers and 3PLs recruit there.
- Learn the basic vocabulary: freight modes, lead time, 3PL and Incoterms.
- Consider freight brokerage sales internships, which many brokerages fill on a rolling basis.
Find logistics & transportation internships near you →
More on this major: logistics & transportation internships, with recent listings and the questions students ask.