‘Industry-wide initiative needed to address skills shortage’

THE SKILLS shortage in South Africa’s freight forwarding industry is well documented and remains one of the biggest challenges facing the local industry. “In an industry where speed, reliability and responsiveness are crucial to successfully move goods around the world according to client demands and expectations, knowledge and understanding of the processes and procedures involved and the ability to identify the best possible solutions is critically important,” Barloworld Logistics' Philip Wyllie told FTW. The available skills base, at all levels, has not grown at the same rate the industry has, and he suggests that an industry-wide training programme like the one operated by the German freight forwarding industry could be the answer to increasing the number of skilled people entering the industry. “Keeping up to date with new and changing regulations is imperative to move goods successfully. For freight moving to or through the USA for example, there are 14 separate interventions designed to ensure secure supply chains and minimise the terrorist threats.”