Freight logistics is not only an important sector in its own right, employing some 1.7 million people across 65,000 business in the UK, but it also underpins all of the other industry sectors which are crucial to a vibrant and expanding economy.  Logistics contributes an estimated £55 billion to the UK economy.

Skills for Logistics (SfL), the Sector Skills Council for the Freight Logistics Industries, has been working closely with employers across the UK to identify their requirements in terms of workforce development. SfL’s ultimate goal is to change the way logistics approaches, provides and funds Continuous Professional Development, by moving away from an ad-hoc purchase of training that is the supply focused system existing today into one that is designed and driven by employers. With this in mind, SfL  has undertaken extensive employer research in order to identify the key skills issues in the sector and is developing the Logistics Skills Agreement (LSA). This is a Service Level Agreement with Government intended to change the content of training, the way public subsidies are spent and ensuring that skills development is employer led.

Initial research and consultations provided SfL with the foundation for the LSA – this is set to form the backbone of the work that SfL carries out,  providing guidance and direction for skills development. SfL’s vision for the logistics sector includes:-

   The development of a single careers framework for everybody in logistics (the Professional Development Stairway)

   Measures to ensure that training offered and subsidised is industry relevant and delivered consistently across the UK.

This is no small task and requires the support of employers to ensure that the logistics industries in the UK maintain (if not increase) their position in a global economy.

For further information on the LSA or if you are an employer and wish to demonstrate your support  / provide feedback on the agreement please visit http://www.skillsforlogistics.org/ssa.shtml, or contact info@skillsforlogistics.org