The Road Haulage Association in the UK has set out its vision to help the industry attract, train and retain a workforce for the future.

The trade body says the industry faces skills shortages, including drivers, technicians and warehouse operatives. It acknowledges the steps government has taken to address the issues but says more needs to be done.

In its skills manifesto published recently the RHA encourages industry, the education sector and government to work together to make the logistics and commercial road transport attractive career options. The paper was brought together after extensive consultation with RHA members, industry, training providers, and local and national governments.

To help attract new entrants to the industry the RHA says that the industry must work with government and education to promote the sector’s diverse career paths and encourage greater recognition of technical qualifications as equal to academic. The sector should also offer more model work experience placements, showcase representation of women and other target groups, and promote more flexible working options.

It says that to encourage training, government must work with industry to ensure there’s a diverse range of training options to attract people to the sector. A skills levy should replace the restrictive Apprenticeship Levy to help fund shorter training schemes such as bootcamps and vocational courses otherwise not in scope for support.

To help retain staff the industry should support firms with best practice on promoting work-life balance to help retain staff. Government must also simplify planning regulations so that developers can build much-needed safe and secure parking facilities for lorry drivers. Sally Gilson, RHA Policy Lead, Skills and Drivers, said: “We’re setting out the actions that government and industry should take to secure our industry’s future. We need to reinforce the message that there are fantastic career paths [available], and that people in our industry play vital roles in keeping the economy moving.”

Photo: Sally Gilson.