Member Article

PD Portcentric Logistics backs Stockton Riverside College's new academy

PD Ports’s logistics division, PD Portcentric Logistics, is amongst employers across the region which are coming together to tackle a skills shortage in the logistics industry.

Nationally the sector needs to recruit approximately 450,000 new workers in the next five years (with 1.2m workers needed between 2012 and 2020), yet the industry is among those to recruit the lowest number of school leavers, second only to agriculture.

In an attempt to combat the shortfall, Stockton Riverside College is joining forces with business leaders from across the region in a drive to inspire more young people to consider a future career in the industry.

Michelle Elliott, the College’s Director of Business Development said: “Logistics is a key priority for the Tees Valley, yet there seems to be a general lack of knowledge of what the sector fully entails,”

To help engage upcoming talent, the College, in conjunction with NETA Training Trust, Think Logistics and national charity, Career Ready, is launching a Logistics Academy, a scheme offering students an introduction to the sector.

Career Ready links schools and colleges with employers to open up the world of work to young people, offering a programme of business engagement that includes industry-focused masterclasses, mentoring and internship opportunities, running alongside their full time courses.

Think Logistics is an employer led project, supported by the Edge Foundation that focuses on raising young people’s awareness of the logistics industry.

Among those to have backed Stockton Riverside College’s logistics programme is PD Ports’ logistics division, PD Portcentric Logistics.

Director Jim French, who is also national chairman of the Road Haulage Association, said: “I’ve talked to young people of school leaving age and there’s a definite lack of awareness of what the logistics industry is about. Similarly, to my mind, there’s a lack of awareness amongst school teachers and parents as well.”

He said: “Logistics is a key part of all industries as it is about the movement and storage of products and people. Its purpose is to add value to a product or person by its location.”

Stockton Riverside College’s Director of Business Development, Ms Elliott, said: “We have spoken to lots of employers who struggle to find staff to train up for the roles available. By working directly with local employers, we aim to identify the sector’s needs and respond accordingly.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ellen Forster .