Skills Pay Campaign Partners

“The logistics industry is the fifth largest sector in the UK economy, turning over £75 billion a year and employing 2.3 million people, which is 8% of the total UK workforce.

However, while the construction industry, which employs a similar number, receives 13% of publicly funded training, logistics receives under 2% - which needs to more than double year on year in order to train 230,000 people to meet its share of the Government targets to get 79% of people of working age qualified to Level 2* by 2011.

Skills for Logistics and the partner organisations supporting the Skills Pay campaign are actively promoting the benefits of publicly funded qualifications and urging employers to take advantage of the workforce development tools available to them in order to benefit the bottom line of their business.”

Dr Mick Jackson, Operations Director, Skills for Logistics

"Through our work with DHL we have seen at first hand the huge impact that training can have both on your people and your bottom line. I'd urge any employer to get behind developing the talent of their people."

Graham Bann, Executive Director, Business in the Community

“At the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (UK) our ethos is to encourage professionalism across the freight logistics industries and the Skills Pay campaign will help to do this. The funding for workforce development is available, the skills development programmes are out there and excellent bottom line business benefits are achievable. It is our responsibility, along with the other industry bodies backing this campaign, to highlight to employers what is available to them and to encourage employers to go out, reap the benefits and set the standards for increased professionalism within the industry.”

Steve Agg, Chief Executive, The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (UK)

“The logistics industry is one were every penny counts, and if there is a way of contributing to the bottom line of a business, such as putting the workforce through publicly funded qualifications, then the logistics industry should be benefiting from these opportunities.  The Skills Pay campaign is vital in raising awareness of the availability of public funding qualifications, and actively demonstrates the benefits that are available to businesses in England. The Freight Transport Association is keen to help employers take advantage of what is available to them, before the funding is channeled to other industry sectors.”

Theo De Pencier, Chief Executive, Freight Transport Association

“Up to £290 million is available from the government to help pay for NVQ-related training of truck drivers and warehouse staff between now and 2010. Training towards a C or C + E vocational licence can be part of that NVQ.

Haulage companies considering structured training to a recognised public qualification have a golden opportunity under Skills Pay to tap into public funds – regardless of whether they operate large or very small fleets. Examples of contractors such as Winfield Transport, Wm Armstrong, Stiller, Wincanton and DHL are there for all hauliers to see and to learn from as appropriate.”

Roger King, Chief Executive, Road Haulage Association

“The Government is increasing the availability of funding for vocational training to raise the level of education across all industry sectors by 2010. Some sectors, such as construction and engineering, have a tradition of bringing on their workforce through National Vocational Qualifications and so get a greater share of the funding, therefore reaping the financial benefits. 

The logistics industry could, and should, benefit from vocational skills development and tap into the funding available. However, those that do are a small percentage of the sector. Small and medium sized businesses often say that they would not benefit financially from training. The Skills Pay campaign demonstrates that businesses of all sizes can enjoy improvements through publicly funded qualifications.”

Bob Monks, General Secretary, United Road Transport Union