Home > News > February 2004 > 04-Feb-2004

Skills for Logistics officially licensed as a Sector Skills Council

Secretary of State for Education and Skills, Rt Hon Charles Clarke MP, has granted a five year licence to Skills for Logistics to operate as the Sector Skills Council serving the freight logistics industry. The new organisation is charged with raising productivity and business performance across the sector to benefit the UK economy.

The licence has been granted after more than two years of work by leaders of the freight logistics sector to create an organisation that addresses the real needs of the fifth largest sector of the UK economy. Amongst its early challenges, Skills for Logistics will need to address staff shortages, particularly LGV drivers; undertake further research into workforce skills issues; engage with potential young entrants; and build much stronger links with further and higher education.

Speaking at the official launch in central London on February 3rd, 2004, Mr Clarke stressed how important the sector and its skills were. "Logistics affects the lives of everyone in the UK. Virtually all the goods and services we benefit from depend at some point on companies involved in managing the storage and movement of freight.

"Some of the initiatives we plan to launch early in the life of Skills for Logistics include a website aimed at raising the image of the sector with younger people and their advisors," said Mr Callaghan. "We will develop curriculum materials for schools that introduce logistics to the employees of the future, and develop innovative options to link school to industry through new, structured approaches to entry level training."

However, the long-term challenge for Skills for Logistics is to raise management skills. The Logistics Academy, due to be launched later this year, will create training opportunities for graduates and link logistics with further and higher education so that there is more management development support from universities. The Academy will also create a climate that drives forward more graduate opportunities throughout the industry.

"The Logistics Academy will provide a focus for university-based research and raise standards and qualifications of those delivering education and training to the sector," said Mr Callaghan.

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