Breaking Barriers: Adeline, Warehouse Agent at WFS Belgium
At Liège Airport (LGG) in Belgium, Worldwide Flight Services (WFS), a member of the SATS Group, operates two vast warehouses that handle around 210,000 tonnes of cargo a year.
Inside one of these warehouses and amongst the forklifts and cargo pallets at Building 32, a space dedicated to WFS’ biggest e-commerce logistics client, you'll find Adeline—a Warehouse Agent at WFS Liège.
Adeline Beauvois, Warehouse Agent at WFS Liège
From gardens to warehouses
Adeline is a qualified park and garden worker with a speciality in market produce. She never imagined trading in her gardening tools for tractors and unit load devices (ULDs). But when her contract with a supply chain solutions provider ended, she was faced with a choice: return to her roots in gardening or step into something entirely new. She chose the latter.
“I could never see myself sitting behind a desk for eight hours,” she says with a laugh. A temporary role with WFS came up, she decided to give it a shot, and it soon turned into a permanent position. Now, Adeline has fully embraced her role as a Warehouse Agent working amidst muscled men at LGG.
Still, she hasn’t left her love for gardening behind. Six months back, she moved to a new place and started working on her new garden. “I haven’t tackled it fully yet, but I’m beginning to have quite a few plants,” she shares with a proud smile. Gardening is her peaceful contrast to a job that requires lifting heavy loads and driving trucks.
Working in a man’s world
The cargo industry is still very much a man’s world. But Adeline doesn’t let this stereotype bother her. “Challenges? Sure, they’re there,” she acknowledges, “but you find ways to overcome them.” Her approach is simple: focus on the work, earn respect through her work, and let the results speak for themselves.
As a Warehouse Agent, Adeline is involved in various aspects of cargo handling, from loading and unloading trucks to helping with the pallet build-up process. She also transports cargo to the ramp via tractors.
These tasks require muscle, no doubt, but Adeline believes that physical strength is just one part of the equation. Mental toughness, determination, and willingness to learn are just as crucial.
As a woman doing a physically demanding job, Adeline is not interested in dwelling on the difficulties but rather in finding ways to push through them.
Adeline is grateful for a supportive team, who value her contribution and offer assistance whenever needed. “I’m lucky to be surrounded by very respectful people who help me when I cannot lift the loads myself,” she shares.
Finding joy in the job
What drew Adeline into the warehouse was the variety in her role. Contrary to the stereotype of a warehouse job being repetitive and monotonous, Adeline finds every day brings something different.
Adeline driving a forklift for the pallet build-up process
Not only does she perform different tasks in a day, from driving forklifts to loading ULDs, but she also gets to handle a variety of cargo items—luxury cars, fresh produce, and even wallabies.
“The build-up part is really interesting because you never know what you’ll be working with next,” Adeline explains. She’s always learning, always adapting.
Even though aviation wasn’t initially her passion, Adeline fondly recalls her most memorable day on the job—the day she stood next to an Antonov, the world’s largest cargo aircraft. “It is gigantic! I felt so small standing next to it,” she exclaims.
For Adeline, gender isn’t an issue in the cargo industry. She keeps herself engaged in her role, knowing she's found another place where she loves what she does. “For me, you have to give everyone a chance,” she says. “If you enjoy working with your hands and being active, then why not? My folks tried to talk me out of gardening, suggesting I become a florist instead, but I stuck with it and succeeded. The same goes for this job.”
Read also: Meet the women defying stereotypes on the ramp
Lifting standards
Adeline’s narrative proves that the path we had in mind may not always be where we end up, and that’s perfectly fine. She has found a way to thrive in a role traditionally viewed as out of bounds for women. She’s not just lifting cargo; she’s lifting the standards of what women can achieve.
Here’s to Adeline and all those who dare to push the boundaries and challenge what is socially acceptable!