These far-reaching insights of the market situation in the UK Logistics state that, this is a tough time for the Logistics sector, basically concerning recruitment in the coming years due to low wages and a lack of relevant skills. (The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) and Statista study.
Ten facts affecting the Logistics sector
- Logistics companies are expecting skills shortages to escalate in the coming years.
- There is an uncertainty to their future recruitment ability. However, a tiny per cent of enterprises expects skills shortage to do better.
- The most demanded workers are office staff, vehicle drivers and warehouse workers.
- Software engineers, project managers and executives are the most problematic positions to fill.
- Deficiency of job-specific skills is seen as the main obstacle to productive recruitment.
- Lack of job-specific skills and of work experiences is the main barrier towards successful recruitment.
- Low salaries are the other most frequent problematic issue.
- Mainly Software area demonstrates to be the most difficult to recruit, as it is problematic to hire tech-talented people.
- We need to do much more than just significant efforts.
- Employees have a deficiency of time and interest in training that block any effort to retain current staff and attracting possible new ones.
Ageing is also an issue. This kind of experienced workforce has been in the sector for ten or more years. On the other hand, younger people are not taking a Logistics career as an option; as a consequence, the shortage of skilled-staff will keep escalating even further. So, the sector fosters a culture that supports upskilling, on-the-job training and flexible working hours.
Go for more attractive industry polices
UK logistics firms put into action flexible-working models, concentrating on diversity, and getting better career pathways.
Kevin Richardson, chief executive at CILT, said: "In terms of recruitment, the next few years are going to be a concern for Logistics firms in the UK. We are seeing the uncertainty that surrounds Brexit forces the problem to worsen as employees seek to find career paths that offer more stability.” He added that Logistics is hugely vital to the UK economy and that the consequences of this shortage will affect other sectors which rely on Logistics to operate effectively.
How to do it?
The need to attract the worker of tomorrow to lessen this shortage requires innovative strategies to encourage those in other sectors to reconsider a new career in the Transport and Logistics industry. Regarding the construction, trade and manufacturing jobs, opportunities will expand in the coming years.
The report also claims that businesses working in the rail sector might start searching for non-traditional possibilities, like retired people and coming migrants to find answers to this shortage. The escalating demand is for technicians, railway workers, project managers and rail engineers in the sector.
Summing up: Logistics and Transportation are undergoing skills shortage; however, recruiting and upskilling staff is the answer to eradicate these problems. Promoting career opportunities in the sector to workers or students who have not finished their careers, plus modifying the traditional subjects taught in universities, and updating the methods of teaching and learning would drive excellent results.
The main objective for employers will be keeping up with the demand.
Dave Food
Prophetic Technology
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