Trade body RHA is targeting the education sector and the government in its skills manifesto.

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

Attract, train, retain

To attract people into the sector, it says 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.

RHA believes government must work with industry to ensure there is 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 like bootcamps and vocational courses otherwise not in scope for support.

To retain people in the industry, the RHA believes the industry should support firms with best practice on promoting work-life balance to help retain staff. Government must simplify planning regulations so that developers can build much-needed safe and secure parking facilities for drivers, according to the trade body.

“We need to reinforce the message that there are fantastic career paths in the haulage, coach and logistics sectors” – Sally Gilson, RHA Policy Lead, Skills and 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 in the haulage, coach and logistics sectors, and that people in our industry play vital roles in keeping the economy moving.”