At Speed, we love welcoming the future stars of working life and giving them the opportunity to do internships in our logistics operations. It’s an investment in the future—both for the students who come here and for us as a company.
Taking on interns gives us the chance to contribute while also gaining a lot in return. For nearly two months, we’ve had the pleasure of hosting Elin Wiktorsson and Anton Nordin, two fantastic students from the Logistics Design program at the Vocational College in Borås. They’ve done everything from developing an AI chatbot to studying and analyzing operational flows to identify areas for improvement.
- Getting to apply what we’ve studied for almost a year in a real work environment is incredibly valuable! Combining theory and practice is so useful, and getting confirmation that what you’ve learned is actually applicable in working life gives great motivation for the next semester!
Elin and Anton chose to study logistics because they wanted to deepen their knowledge in an area they both had experience with. Interested in how supply chains work and how processes can be streamlined, they saw the logistics program as a natural next step in their development. Doing an internship at a 3PL company might not be at the top of every student’s wish list, but for Elin and Anton, the choice was easy.
- I worked at Speed for six years before I started studying, so I knew the company and the operations. It’s been fun to bring my previous experience and knowledge into my improvement project, says Elin.
Anton had previously worked at companies that managed their own logistics and now wanted insight into third-party logistics—to see the other side, so to speak.
- I thought Speed was an interesting option and an exciting company. Now that I’ve been here, I feel the choice was absolutely right, and my time here has given me completely new understanding and insights, says Anton.
DDuring their internship, Elin and Anton have led several projects—some individually and others together.
Elin conducted a time study and analysis on a logistics department with a special goods-receiving flow that requires extra handling. She mapped how long each step takes and identified ways to optimize and save time. Anton did a similar study on a returns-handling flow, creating a process map to find optimization opportunities.
Together, they developed and optimized a chatbot designed to act as a quick reference tool for warehouse staff. To ensure accurate answers, they used departmental work instructions as the foundation. They also participated in a new customer onboarding project and a major warehouse redesign project involving layout changes and the implementation of a new WMS.
- Much of it has been about collecting data, understanding flows and processes, and then using the knowledge we’ve gained during our studies to draw conclusions and come up with good solutions, say Elin and Anton. We’ve spent a lot of time out on the floor, and that’s helped us identify bottlenecks and where the long lead times are.
Their education has provided knowledge in inventory management and third-party logistics, as well as project management and development work—all of which they’ve found useful during the internship. And their results are impressive. Last week, they presented their findings.
- Elin and Anton have really identified real improvement opportunities for us. Their work will make a difference. I’m impressed by how quickly they understood our operations and were able to identify things we hadn’t seen ourselves. It’s easy to become blind to your own environment, says Marcus Ontero at Speed, who supervised the interns.
During their two-month internship at Speed, Elin and Anton have been able to revisit their first year of studies and connect theory to real cases—something they both found exciting and educational.
- It’s impressive to see third-party logistics handled the way Speed does—with really large customers and huge volumes. The insight we’ve gained has sparked new interests in logistics—it’s truly an industry with incredibly varied tasks, so much more than just storage!
For Speed, hosting interns regularly is a given—and it’s not just about securing future talent.
- We see internships as part of our work with social sustainability. By giving young people the chance to develop, build networks, and grow into the industry, we help secure future competence. It’s also a way for us to learn—interns often bring new perspectives and fresh knowledge, just like Elin and Anton have done during these two months, says Stefan Hansen, the interns’ supervisor.
Elin and Anton are now finishing their LIA, taking with them plenty of lessons for their continued studies and future careers.
- The best advice we can give to other students considering an internship at Speed? Do it! There’s so much happening here, and it’s a company full of drive and great people. You’ll learn a lot!
Finally, we want to extend a big thank you to Elin and Anton—not only for doing a fantastic job but also for being such a great addition to the team. Best of luck with your final year and your future careers. Who knows—our paths may cross again.