February marks two sombre anniversaries in Europe: more than a decade since Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014, and four years since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Those events have reshaped not only geopolitics, but the way we think about resilience at home. Energy, food, medicines and essential goods now sit firmly in the frame of national security. And they all depend on logistics that can be trusted to function, even under pressure. In today’s environment, trust has become a strategic asset.
In recent years, the importance of secure, resilient logistics has been thrown into sharp relief. Modern warehouses are highly data-driven environments, reliant on warehouse management systems, automation, real-time inventory visibility and interconnected networks. That efficiency brings enormous benefits, but it also creates vulnerability. Cybersecurity is no longer an IT issue sitting in the background. It is an operational risk that can stop a warehouse as surely as a power cut or labour shortage.
What many cyber incidents have in common is not sophisticated technology, but human error. A weak password, a convincing phishing email, or a lack of basic cyber awareness can open the door to serious disruption. Once systems are compromised, the consequences are immediate: picking and despatch halt, data integrity is lost, and customer trust evaporates.
This matters far beyond individual businesses. The same fundamentals underpin both defence logistics and civilian supply chains. Whether moving humanitarian aid, military equipment, or everyday groceries, resilience relies on accurate data, secure systems, disciplined processes and well-trained people. The warehouse is where physical goods and digital information meet, and where trust is either reinforced or undermined.
That brings me to National Apprenticeship Week, taking place from 9–15 February. Apprenticeships are sometimes still seen as a route into manual roles, but that view is badly out of date. Today’s warehouse apprentices are learning to operate complex systems, manage data responsibly, understand risk and compliance, and work confidently alongside automation and technology. These are precisely the skills required to build resilient, cyber-aware operations.
Apprenticeships also foster something less tangible but equally important: professional judgement. By investing time in training, mentoring and progression, employers embed standards and accountability into their workforce. That, in turn, strengthens trust within organisations, across supply chains, and with customers.
Resilience is rarely dramatic. It is built quietly, day by day, through skills, standards and investment in people. In an uncertain world, warehouses earn trust not through headlines, but through reliability. For those looking to develop the next generation of warehouse professionals, UKWA’s training programmes and our UKWA Learning community on LinkedIn offer a practical place to start.
Clare Bottle
UKWA, CEO
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