Logistics Industry gets Government support for a National Skills Academy

Confirmation of Government funding for the development of the National Skills Academy for Logistics was announced on 5 July 2011 by John Hayes, Minister for Further Education, Skills and Lifelong Learning.

Skills Minister John Hayes said: “My ambition is to build a skills training system that unleashes the potential of sectors like logistics to be the best and most highly skilled in the world. By directly addressing businesses’ training requirements, from basic skills through to advanced leadership and management, the Skills Academy will provide effective, targeted support that seeds real opportunity and drives sustained growth.”

Paul Brooks, Chairman of the freight logistics industry sector skills council Skills for Logistics, the organisation leading on the proposal alongside employers in the sector, said: “I am delighted to hear today that the Minister has approved a National Skills Academy for Logistics; a good example of collective action with employers and providers working together with their sector skills council to ensure there is a qualified and highly skilled workforce to support current and new challenges in the logistics sector. Efficient logistics operations are vital for both the growth of the economy and for servicing the daily needs of industry and the consumer. It is essential that we develop skills in our personnel in order that we further improve the high quality of our transport and logistics operations.”

Perry Glading, Managing Director of the Port of Tilbury and Forth Ports Executive Director, and a member of the employer team leading on the National Skills Academy for Logistics proposal said: “Confirmation that the bid has been successful means that up to £3.25m will be available through the Skills Funding Agency and will be matched by employer investment in the Skills Academy. This will be a tremendous step in the right direction making sure that we have enough skilled people working in the sector. The logistics sector is crucially important to the UK economy as it underpins virtually all economic activity. Essentially, without logistics nothing happens”.

Joint Skills Academy Project Directors Simon Harper and Greg Cejer said "The Skills Academy will bring government agencies, education providers and employers together, delivering world class training. It will build on the pilot work of the logistics skills academies which have been in place in a number of English regions”

The logistics sector employs 1.94 million people with 168,400 employers in England. Logistics companies will be supported by the Skills Academy ensuring they are able to develop a skilled workforce through tailored training packages to meet the industry's changing needs. The proposal is already supported by over 70 sector employers, sector trade associations, providers and other stakeholders.
Geoff Russell, Chief Executive of the Skills Funding Agency said “The Skills Academy programme puts employer and Government effort behind skills for growth. This important project will mean we can put the right training in place to support the logistics sector, so it too can play its own important part in economic recovery”.

Dr Mick Jackson, Chief Executive of Skills for Logistics, said “The key role of the National Skills Academy for Logistics is to raise the quality of logistics training, improving the skills of the existing workforce and promoting the sector as a potential career of choice for young people. This includes working with the sector skills council to develop and implement new Apprenticeship frameworks, including the generic Logistics Apprenticeship.”
Notes to Editors