Staff retention a major challenge

Retaining staff remains one of the industry’s major challenges, according to UTi’s Ilse de Bruin and Vanessa Whitehead. And that’s because many blue chip companies see the value in the skills developed in the freight and supply chain industry. “Another key factor is attracting graduates and other high potential employees to the industry and ensuring this is a preferred industry to work in, while also being able to fast-track less experienced individuals and equip them with the necessary skills that can often only be gained through years of experience,” says De Bruin, who heads up the company’s freight forwarding operations. “Freight requires a wide range of skills, from administrative to physical handling of cargo to consultancy in supply chain services.” At entry level the freight industry’s barriers to entry are low, says Whitehead, vice president of People Partnerships. “With little to no tertiary qualification, your range of job opportunities is administrative in nature. Skills required for these jobs are easy to learn, however as one progresses through the ranks, specialised skills are developed which are then used as a foundation for the next level – allowing for a greater, more challenging range of career opportunities.” De Bruin says it is crucial that extensive in-house training programmes continue to be established to ensure that basic skills can be taught and a competitive advantage established. “These in house programmes should be generic enough to cover the basic and intermediary skills required in the industry. Graduate programmes should be marketed to attract young, high potential employees to the industry with a clear and attractive career path. Increased marketing and exposure at universities and colleges is also necessary to ensure potential employees understand what a career in freight can offer them.”