Every industry has the issue of skills shortages to deal with. Even those industries that are the most in demand among new talent have to contend with deficiencies in one area or another. Combatting the shortages remains one of the biggest challenges in business.

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Logistics, as readers will know, is no exception. We face an added challenge – logistics is not often seen as a glamorous career choice, regardless of the particular discipline within the business. Attracting people with the potential to learn a huge amount as well as bringing new, fresh perspectives, can create extra hurdles.

“At Pall-Ex, we are particularly proud of our scheme to enhance skills within the network, in partnership with Leicester College,” says Cris Stephenson, MD of Pall-Ex UK.

“This sees college tutors coming to Pall-Ex’s hub in Ellistown, Leicestershire, to provide training for our staff, along with support for our various apprentices. Our staff are gaining new skills which will help them to make progress within their roles. Apprentices, meanwhile, are gaining strong footholds as they launch their careers in an ever-turbulent job market.

“This in-house training partnership is a cost-effective way of providing personal development to the workforce. Our employees are happy that they don’t have to make a special trip to advance their learning, while the business benefits from not losing excessive time to travel.”

So what does this mean for the industry?

Investment in people’s skills – and therefore their futures – has a long-lasting effect. Investment across an entire workforce has the potential to significantly raise the standard of the whole sector.

“Crucially though, our investment means that people can work towards achieving their ambitions at any stage of their career. For example, if an individual decided that they wanted to become a manager, or wanted to move to a different department, they would traditionally have to seek any necessary training away from work and pay for it themselves.”

If they are able to complete that training within the business, it is more convenient and, arguably, more suitable. The company gains from the development of people who are already familiar with the business.

Logistics needs schemes like this, if it is to compete to attract the best talent. Young people can achieve great success in this industry, if they have the drive to do so; but they need to know that investment is being made into their futures. Without that knowledge, the risk is that they will take their skills elsewhere. This, currently, is one of the advantages that other industries have over logistics when it comes to competing for graduates and young trainees.

Investing in a strong training programme is one of the keys to having a happy workforce, who invest their efforts in the business in return for its investment in them. If such schemes became more widespread, the whole sector would be better for it.

Tel: 0808 144 2808

www.pallex.com

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