FTA looks to tackle skills shortage

The issue of how to fill the skills gap and engage, develop and retain your staff will be the key topic at the forthcoming FTA Transport Manager Conference series.

The skills shortage in the freight and logistics industry is a pressing concern but the shortage doesn’t just apply to drivers and technicians but also to transport managers, with a reported 34% planning to leave their jobs within the next five years.

Senior Traffic Commissioner, Beverley Bell, has said that the role of the transport manager is often overlooked and deserving of greater recognition, despite being one of the most important jobs in the transport industry.

The FTA has also warned the problem of driver shortage is a long-term issue for the industry. A survey taken by transport managers when attending the 2014 FTA conference last year revealed that this is a fear they too share.

The survey asked delegates in relation to their own freight operations: “On a scale of one to five, how bad is the driver shortage?”

The survey said that 67% of respondents reported driver shortage to be ‘very bad and seen as a major issue’. 60% of delegates replied that ‘it is bad and could impact Christmas deliveries’, and 57% of attendees said that it is ‘a potential problem in the longer term’.

The 2015 FTA Manager Conference Series will begin on September 9th, stating at Brands Hatch and will include a keynote speech by the local Traffic Commissioner and presentations by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), Highways England and Transport Focus.

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