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CARGO AND FREIGHT AGENTS

Occupation Description:

Expedite and route movement of incoming and outgoing cargo and freight shipments in airline, train, and trucking terminals and shipping docks. Take orders from customers and arrange pickup of freight and cargo for delivery to loading platform. Prepare and examine bills of lading to determine shipping charges and tariffs.

Career Video:

Cargo and Freight Agents

Specialized Occupations:

Freight Forwarders (ONET code: 43-5011.01)


	Occupation Description:

	Research rates, routings, or modes of transport for shipment of products. Maintain awareness of regulations affecting the international movement of cargo. Make arrangements for additional services, such as storage or inland transportation.


	Typical Tasks:

	Calculate weight, volume, or cost of goods to be moved. Inform clients of factors such as shipping options, timelines, transfers, or regulations affecting shipments. Prepare shipping documentation, such as bills of lading, packing lists, dock receipts, or certificates of origin. Provide shipment status notification to exporters, consignees, or insurers. Verify proper packaging and labeling of exported goods. Prepare invoices or cost quotations for freight transportation. Select shipment routes, based on nature of goods shipped, transit times, or security needs.


	Knowledge:

	Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.. Transportation - Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.. English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.. Clerical - Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.. Geography - Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.. Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.. Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources..

Typical Tasks:

Advise clients on transportation and payment methods.
Track delivery progress of shipments.
Notify consignees, passengers, or customers of freight or baggage arrival and arrange for delivery.
Determine method of shipment and prepare bills of lading, invoices, and other shipping documents.
Estimate freight or postal rates and record shipment costs and weights.
Keep records of all goods shipped, received, and stored.
Enter shipping information into a computer by hand or by a hand-held scanner that reads bar codes on goods.

Knowledge:

Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction..
Transportation - Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits..
Transportation - Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits..
English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar..
Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction..
English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar..
Clerical - Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology..

Search for Jobs on CareerOneStop:

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Education & Training:

Short-term on-the-job training (short demonstration up to one month)

View Related Programs on Connecticut's Education & Training ConneCTion site

Wage Information:

Region	Average Annual	Average Hourly	Entry Level (hourly)	Mid-Range (hourly)
Hartford	$87,096.00	$41.87	$22.81	$26.19 - $39.91
New Haven	$69,415.00	$33.37	$21.34	$24.62 - $35.73
Waterbury	$111,730.00	$53.71	$23.49	$23.54 - $76.85

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Occupation Outlook:

Region	Employment		Average Annual Growth Rate	Average Annual Job Openings
Region	2022	2032	Average Annual Growth Rate	Average Annual Job Openings
State of Connecticut	410	460	0.1%	48

Chart of Growth Rate and Annual Openings

Employment in this occupation is expected to grow more slowly than average, and the number of annual openings will offer limited job opportunities.

Key:

N/A = Not Applicable, ***** = Over $60.00 per hour, ##### = Over $124,821

Similar Occupations:

State of Connecticut Department of Labor - Office of Research, 200 Folly Brook Boulevard, Wethersfield, CT 06109