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.”