Dakota
Veteran Expediter
A year. After that you're no longer a newbie.
Newbies are still trying to figure out the basics. You'll never learn everything there is to know about this business, but after a year you'll have seen most of the major surprises, and by then you'll be able to at least effectively deal with any new surprises that come your way.
If you're still trying to figure out the basics after a year, it doesn't mean you're still a newbie, it means you're either stupid, or astoundingly unobservant, or both.
Blunt and to the point, Wow Turtle, I'm impressed