The Government has announced the renewal of the licence to operate for Skills for Logistics, the sector skills council for the freight logistics industry. The announcement follows a comprehensive review carried out by the National Audit Office on behalf of the UK Commission for Employment and Skills which manages the relicensing process and considers the organisation’s ability to deliver specific solutions to employer demand, to deliver core products and services, and to progress results and impacts. The process also looks at how well the organisation is run.
Lord Mandelson, who was Business, Innovation and Skills Secretary at the time of the announcement, said: "Employers can be confident that Skills for Logistics has come through a rigorous assessment and will offer employers the highest quality service in meeting their skills needs."
SfL chief executive Dr Mick Jackson says: "We are obviously delighted by this major vote of confidence in our work by the Government. We operate in an industry which is absolutely vital for the health of the economy and of the needs of the whole UK population so it is crucial that we have a well trained and efficient workforce fit for the purpose of delivering the goods in the widest possible sense. We intend to continue the good work which has resulted in the renewal of our licence."
Skills for Logistics has recently appointed Paul Brooks, sales director of Unipart, as its new chairman in succession to Andrew Callaghan. Brooks said: "We are indebted to Andrew for seeing us through the first six years and now need to continue to promote our industry as an exciting and rewarding career option for school leavers, graduates and job changers. Skills for Logistics is well under way with that work and relicensing allows us to continue with these endeavours."
The licence renewal is for an indeterminate period but is likely to be reviewed again in three to five years. In addition to the appointment of Paul Brooks as its new chairman SfL has appointed David Morton of Menzies Distribution as vice-chairman.
