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ShD Investigates ■
approach to good more promotion is needed by everybody, with
business where companies actively encouraging employees to
training and join professional institutes to train. “I don’t
development is see a lot being done to actively train people,”
concerned is to he says.
say, ‘What does “In short, not enough is being done to raise
the business awareness, and although there are a few
need?’ You then uncoordinated initiatives to raise the profile of
focus on these the industry among schools and colleges, but
business needs, much more could and should be done,”
see how well or comments Roger Williams, chief executive
ill-prepared your officer of the UKWA. He also points out that
staff is in terms larger trade bodies and institutions appear
of competence reluctant to come together to make a
and then you concerted effort to ‘market’ the logistics
narrow in,” he brand.
says. David Trade associations like the FLTA, however,
encourages a seem to be taking a strong stance against this
gentle ‘scalpel’ accusation and an inactive attitude, with its
approach as National Fork Lift Truck Engineer
opposed to a Apprenticeship Scheme, managed on the
‘hacksaw’ one: FLTA’s behalf by the City of Bristol College.
gently chipping This has already proved a success in the first
away at specific year, with an 100 per cent increase in
skills applicants, and what chairman Paul Nichol
beyond short term gains and towards positive deficiencies instead of roughly addressing the describes as “a significant number of
acquisition of skills in the future. She believes broader issues. “They (employers) really additional companies (that) have benefited
that training without development is not going ought to be addressing the specific skills gaps, from the employment of a bright and
to be ‘good’ or effective so employers need to and these business issues should be driven by enthusiastic apprentice for the first time.”
think beyond short term requirements and their customers’ needs.” Speaking at the FLTA Awards 007, Paul
invest in long term development of staff – Nichol said: “The area (of fork lift engineer
even if some of the trained staff will
Investing in training
apprenticeships) may prove crucial to the
inevitably leave. Businesses also need to look upon training as survival of our industry. Every year, far more
Indeed, many firms are driven by short-term an investment, by actively using promotion to service engineers retire from our industry than
considerations and are ambivalent about generate better public awareness of skills are recruited and trained. The resulting
training and skill development, and see it gaps. Professor Alan Waller, visiting shortage will only get worse, without
concerned primarily with obtaining basic professor in International Supply Chain concerted action by all of us who rely on the
qualifications. If employers cannot train Management at Cranfield Centre for Logistics special skills of engineers to keep our trucks
people to achieve these qualifications, they and Supply Chain Management at Cranfield working efficiently and safely.”
will normally ‘buy them in’ by using agency School of Management, points out the The supply level side of training and
staff or ‘poach’ staff from other firms. comparison between the European and development is readily available, with
The hefty cost of relying on such solutions Chinese philosophies towards skills vocationally related qualifications offered
both for individual firms and collectively development: “The Chinese have a from introductory level to masters level by the
across the country seems poorly understood. It philosophy where they’re hungry for CILT (UK). “We need to ensure that we
is this lack of understanding that appears to be knowledge and education, whereas in the UK generate sufficient demand for training so we
actually discouraging employers to train, for and Europe we have this belief that ‘we’re a can respond to the employer’s needs,” says
fear of their employees being ‘poached’. mature economy, therefore we don’t need to Dorothea de Carvalho.
“There is too little investment in training by invest in skills and training…’. This is just Investment in training will benefit the
those employers who fear that their trained rubbish.” whole workforce, whether they stay with a
staff will be ‘poached’ by their competitors,” Logistics companies should view training business or leave. This investment also means
says Dorothea de Carvalho. and skills development as a valuable becoming involved with staff and engaging
Encouraging long term training and opportunity to promote and raise awareness of with the organisations offering training and
development is one method of ensuring staff the logistics industry and its overall image, development. “Training tends to be supply
are on track for a promising future, but what which has not been a positive one. driven at the moment,” comments Dorothea
else can employers do? Experts agree that “Organisations need to work together,” says de Carvalho, “and it will not be demand
addressing underlying business issues before Dorothea de Carvalho, “with institutes, like driven until employers really get involved in
training issues is generally recognised as good the CILT, and other relevant bodies to training and development of their staff and see
practice and those such as David MacLeod go influence the ‘influencers’ like careers it as a major investment.”
on to advocate a strategic approach. advisors, teachers and parents.” Others like Clearly the need for investment is an area
“At the end of the day, the strategic Professor Alan Waller agree, and argue that that the government has begun to address,
May 2007 ShD 21
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