NEWS Training – the road to success
EVEN THOUGH COVID-19 LEAVES us facing “the worst economic headwinds in many people’s lifetime,” Road Transport Forum CEO Nick Leggett believes it is also a moment of opportunity.
It is, he reckons, “a good time for businesses to think about their future workforce – and for workers to consider what they really want to do.”
It’s also the time for workers “who have always liked the idea of driving a big piece of finelytuned machinery and experiencing the freedom of the road – versus the restrictions of an office or working from home – to give truck driving a go.
“School leavers are looking at an uncertain future of work, and many of those who were in work have seen the industries they worked in disappear and their jobs go with it. Those in work also face uncertainty and might be thinking about training and gaining qualifications to secure their place.”
An RTF workforce
survey
during
the
COVID-19 full lockdown unsurprisingly saw the global pandemic and/or the resulting economic downturn as the biggest threat to their business.
“But the survey also showed 37% of industry operators reported a shortage of drivers. Against a backdrop of about 25% of drivers over 60, it’s estimated that within five years about 20% of our current driving workforce will need to be replaced,” Leggett says.
Thus the RTF is launching Te ara ki tua Road to Success, “a truck driving traineeship founded on support and qualifications, that takes a new approach to training and employment in the industry.”
It is working with government agencies, the industry training organisation MITO, iwi and labour supply groups.
The traineeship will, Leggett says, mesh on-the-job practical training with theoretical components, leading to a range of stackable qualifications and employment in the industry: “We aim to provide operators with the support to take on new, inexperienced staff to train – and trainees with a guarantee they will have paid work while they train to gain formal qualifications.”
The traineeship will cater for new entrants, career changers and existing personnel – with each part of the programme specifically designed to meet the needs of the employer and employee.
T&D