A training scheme to encourage more young people into the transport industry
is being rolled out nationally by logistics company Christian Salvesen.
Ray Barnes, HR director of Christian Salvesen’s industrial division, said
the sector is facing a massive skills shortage and the company decided it must
attract more young people to help it address the problem. "There is a
national shortage [in the sector], and by 2005, there will be a shortfall of
137,000," he said.
The Young Driver Training Scheme, successfully piloted in Northampton,
allows young people aged 16 to 19 to train for a nationally-recognised NVQ
Level 2 in Transporting Goods by Road, and to obtain their LGV Class C driving
licence before the usual age of 21. Trainees accepted onto the 18-month scheme
will be taught about all aspects of logistics, including warehousing,
traffic-office administration and customer services.
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Successful trainees will be able to work as drivers to progress to their LGV
C+E licence, and be given opportunities to move into traffic-office operations
and logistics management roles.
Barnes said quality training and a clear career path will also help the
industry to appeal to a wider range of people, he said.
