Skills shortage a big challenge in Botswana

Technology is only as good as the people who use it. And in Botswana, where industry training is often not up to scratch, finding and retaining staff proficient in logistics and IT can be problematic. This is one of the very real challenges of working in the country, says Gareth Lendrum, general manager of SDV in Botswana. “Training in our industry is definitely lacking in the country and along with that IT knowledge. Even something as simple as drawing up a spread sheet is sometimes a challenge.” For that reason manual systems are often still used. “They do work as long as they are managed well,” says Lendrum. “Most of our global service providers carry internal tracking systems to which we as freight forwarders are given access. Therefore the tracking of shipments has become the responsibility of the carrier and not the facilitator. We are however huge carriers in many parts of the world with most equipment owned in Africa.” Lendrum says overcoming challenges is part and parcel of working in a country like Botswana. “One learns to deal with the challenges and to build up your own support network.”