Part 2 of 2:

So lets now discuss accreditation in this second part. Generally whats sets a school apart from the rest is the process. So when you want to become a freight broker you need to think it through. Is the school a broker mill, or are you learning the ropes?

In general, it is best to take the time to go and learn from an accredited school that will actually make you do what a broker does before sending you out to fend for yourself. A good school should focus on real world exercises that mimic the exact situations you’ll find yourself in as a certified broker or agent. It should include mandatory testing to be sure you are learning and following along as the class progresses. One of the best reasons to attend a freight brokerage school is, if you attend a school that actively does what they teach, you can watch that companies sales team coming to work each day, making call after call, and working through the daily issues of a freight broker. The act of seeing your future position in the works proves invaluable to a prospective students’ success rate. Without sighting a fancy research document, just consider why everything from elementary schools to colleges have career day.

For those who simply don’t have the time to travel and attend a week long course, you can utilize the weekend seminars or online courses. The weekend seminars are probably your best second option. This is simply because you have an instructor on hand who can walk you through the process and do real tests to make sure you are comprehending the material. Another big advantage to the weekend seminars is, they are usually taught in groups so you can see where the other students struggle and watch as they work through each step. When looking for a good seminar you should scrutinize the course schedule. You may want to verify they teach everything from making a sales call, bidding a lane, securing a carrier, reporting claims, managing insurance, obtaining necessary licensing, job placement, and extended training. These are only a small sample of topics each training school should cover. If you want, it should be easy to get a copy and description of a school’s class outline. If the school you’re considering cannot produce a cleaned (meaning sanitized for public display) outline you might want to reconsider your source.

If you still don’t have time or you simply like online learning you might consider the last option, online training classes. These are usually the most appealing from a cost standpoint as well. However, please be careful when subscribing to one of these courses, as they are often very short lessons filled with up-selling offers. Check the school’s course outline and ask what they sell once your there or if they have different levels of certification. Sometimes you’ll get a big list and be told you get a discount if you buy through the school. Consider this a red flag. Please consider when researching any of the three training options. Any class you take should be all-inclusive and focus only on your education, not the companies’ revenues. I highly warn you to be weary of this. That said, there are still some good online training courses and even books you can subscribe to. These learning modules are most effective for people who have done online learning in the past and are highly self-motivated learners. If you like to be guided you might find these classes hard to navigate and not worth your time or money.

No matter what type of freight agent training or freight brokerage school you attend, make sure you do your research and call the school recruiter with a list of questions you need answered. Refer to this article for help coming up with a good list of questions. Make sure your source is credible, accredited, and known within the industry. First and last, make sure your invested in your decision. No matter if you choose to take an online training class, weekend seminar, or full week freight brokerage school, if you honestly know how much effort you will put into your education, you will be able to comfortably choose the right program for you and have no regrets when its over.