'Youth key to closing skills gap'

The skills demand in South Africa’s freight and logistics sector at present far outweighs the supply, says Langton Ncube, sales and marketing manager for Y2K Customs Consultants. “We have seen an increased interest from young people enquiring about careers in freight. Industry stakeholders have a vital role to play in this regard to help fill the skills gap because with the right support and guidance we can entice more young people to choose freight as a career and slowly but surely the skills gap will be closed.” Ncube says one of the major shortfalls that have been identified is the ineffectiveness of the implementation of the skills development policies, which are currently in place. “The funds are available, the policies are in place but the implementation, administration and monitoring are proving to be major impediments,” he told FTW. “Also, getting all the relevant stakeholders involved in training and development is a mission. Very few companies see training and development as the best solution to closing the skills gap.” He says the funding support from the Sector Education and Training Authorities (Setas) is a process, which needs patience and persistence – somewhat challenging in the highly specialised freight environment where most businesses need all hands on deck all the time. “The other shortfall is that many companies are resistant to opening their doors to interns or learners. Giving opportunities to young people is a crucial first step and taking the chance on someone with no experience is necessary. They have to start somewhere.” According to Ncube major efforts are made to convince companies to give young graduates the opportunity to prove themselves. “There are some companies that have started coming to the party, but it is still slow going forward. We need more businesses to open their doors to such initiatives.” With so many career options to choose from in the freight and logistics sector, it is imperative that young people are assured of jobs should they choose it as a career. “It is advisable for school leavers to first complete their tertiary education or do the relevant courses available to differentiate themselves from the next person in the job market,” Ncube says. The other option is to encourage lifelong learning. “We are now an IATAauthorised training centre and our courses can be completed via correspondence with support from our facilitators, while other courses are available online.” At Y2K Customs Consultants they actively encourage young people to choose freight as a career. INSERT & CAPTION Giving opportunities to young people is a crucial dirst step. – Langton Ncube