Recruiting qualified staff remains a significant challenge, with prolonged search times and a limited talent pool exacerbating the process. This issue is particularly pronounced in the freight sector, where a growing skills gap is forcing employers to make tough decisions. While many applicants demonstrate some of the required competencies, additional training is often necessary to bridge the gap and meet the role’s demands.Jill Morris, a director at Lee Botti & Associates, says there is a high demand for skilled sales professionals in the freight industry. “There has always been a shortage of experienced and successful sales people in the sector, as many opt to pursue other career paths or roles after reaching a certain stage in their careers,” she told Freight News. According to Morris, this challenge is compounded by a lack of young talent entering the field. While many young professionals are studying and obtaining qualifications relevant to the industry, there is a significant shortage of entry-level opportunities that provide the hands-on experience needed for growth and career development.“We would love to see more opportunities emerge that enable young people to enter the workforce, coupled with prospects for ongoing training as they learn and develop within the industry,” she said. For the Lee Botti team it is essential to foster youth employment. “It is vital for industry growth and should be prioritised across all sectors of the industry. Initiatives such as learnerships and internships have traditionally served as valuable entry points into the field,” she said. “More recently, we’ve observed the occasional graduate management programme being introduced – similar to those once more prevalent in the industry – which is both encouraging and exciting to see.”Morris noted that 2024 had been a challenging year for many businesses, with insufficient budgets or capacity allocated to staff training. The primary emphasis has been on driving sales and operational services, often leaving training as a lower priority or unaffordable expense.“There has been a noticeable decline in training opportunities across the market, with a growing preference for hiring already skilled candidates who can seamlessly step into roles and perform immediately,” she said. “From a recruitment point of view, many organisations are increasingly relying on their HR teams to manage recruitment processes, with less direct involvement from line managers in selecting staff for their teams.”She said as members of the Federation of African Professional Staffing Organisations (Apso), Lee Botti & Associates was committed to continually training and encouraging its consultants to not only enhance their recruitment skills but also to gain deeper understanding of their clients’ roles in the logistics and shipping industries. “It is an approach that ensures they understand better what our clients do, which in turn enables our consultants to identify the necessary skills and experience that will add value to the business.”LV
