With logistics facing rapid change driven by technology, decarbonisation and evolving supply chains, Bethany Windsor of Logistics UK argues that skills reform must give employers greater flexibility to upskill and reskill their workforces and build the talent needed to keep the sector moving, writes Bethany Windsor, head of multimodal and skills policy at Logistics UK
As the government seeks to reform skills and training provision, the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Apprenticeships recently completed a “call for evidence” looking at how to optimise the role of apprenticeships in supporting the economic growth ambitions outlined in the Industrial Strategy.
This provided an opportunity for Logistics UK not only to outline our members’ experiences and highlight the value of apprenticeships for both employers and employees but also to stress how they should form part of a broader, more flexible skills system. Employers need greater access to shorter, modular and accredited training alongside apprenticeships to support upskilling and reskilling of the existing workforce. SMEs in particular need simpler processes, stronger brokerage support and better access to training provision to participate fully in the apprenticeship system. In short, skills policy should be treated as an investment in national productivity and there needs to be stronger alignment between skills funding, Industrial Strategy objectives, labour market participation and productivity growth.
The government’s Industrial Strategy acknowledges the vital contribution logistics makes to the UK economy: while focusing on the strategy’s delivery, government needs to ensure it does not overlook the needs of the industries that enable the growth sectors to succeed and provide them the support they need to deliver. Manufacturing, clean energy, life sciences, digital and defence supply chains all depend on the movement of goods, materials and components and it is essential that the government recognises how critical efficient logistics is to these sectors’ competitiveness. It is therefore essential that any skills reform allows the logistics sector to grow and develop its workforce in a way that will enable the wider economy to thrive.
At present, employers often experience skills, employment and industrial policies as separate systems, despite their close interdependence. A more integrated approach should include greater transparency around funding priorities, stronger employer input into decision-making and a longer-term approach to workforce planning. This is particularly important for sectors such as logistics, where workforce needs are influenced by technological change, decarbonisation, infrastructure investment and changing patterns of trade.
It is also essential that the apprenticeship system keeps pace with these changes: increasingly across logistics and supply chains, employers require skills in AI, automation, telematics, low carbon technologies, electrification, digital compliance and advanced data analytics. To ensure that the right workforce is available when needed, the skills system across the UK needs to become more agile in responding to these emerging workforce needs, to deliver the career progression and development opportunities that new entrants increasingly expect.
The withdrawal of funding for the widely-used Team Leader Level 3 and Operations Manager Level 5 has been raised as a concern by Logistics UK members as leadership and management skills remain one of the most significant capability gaps across the sector. Employers need competent and confident supervisors and managers to support new entrants, while young people are more likely to be attracted to and remain in a sector where clear progression routes are visible. Apprenticeships should therefore support career advancement as well as entry-level roles.
The key objective should be creating a stable, joined-up system that allows employers to invest confidently in workforce development while ensuring public funding supports growth, productivity and labour market participation. This would also help provide greater certainty for employers making long-term investments in recruitment, technology adoption, decarbonisation and workforce development.
Logistics UK is a specialist training provider offering an expanding portfolio of industry-focused apprenticeship programmes, ranging from Level 2 (equivalent to GCSE level) through to Level 5 (equivalent to a Foundation Degree or HND). Developed by logistics professionals, these programmes support new entrants to the sector while helping employers build a strong pipeline of future supervisors, planners, technicians and leaders. For more information on Logistics UK’s apprenticeships visit: Logistics UK Apprenticeships
