Technology & Innovation - Issue 11

FromA to B BethanyWindsor explains why teachers should introduce their students to the richly rewarding, yet frequently overlooked careers available within the logistics sector W hen they contemplate the future, students often don’t think past the school gates. In fact, new research – based on a survey conducted by Generation Logistics via TLF – reveals that 55% of young people don’t know what they want to do when they finish school. Having such little understanding of the different career opportunities available to them can result in young people feeling overwhelmed and confused when thinking about their careers. The good news, however, is that there is easily accessible information out there concerning the different career opportunities students can pursue, to support their decision making. That’s where Generation Logistics comes in. Accessible and available As an awareness campaign created by Logistics UK and the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT (UK)), with backing from leading businesses from across the sector, Generation Logistics aims to raise awareness of the many opportunities and benefits that careers in logistics can offer the next generation of talent. Logistics is often overlooked as a potential career, despite offering fantastic opportunities for those withmany different skill sets and preferences – particularly within the technology sphere. Unfortunately, many young people simply don’t know what ‘logistics’ is, and what the sector involves. And they’re not alone, with research indicating that over 90% of the UK has never considered a career in logistics. Howmany know, for example, that a fully qualified HGV driver can earn £50,000 a year while using some of the latest technology available in transport? And they’re almost certainly in the dark regarding the depth and diversity of the sector; the operational gurus, the sustainability specialists, the robotics engineers, the digital technicians and infrastructure experts. These roles are accessible and available – very often with clear progression pathways, great salaries and extensive on-the-job training. Career goals How often has logistics come up in your career chats? Has it ever beenmentioned at school or college as a possible career route? Likely not, but Generation Logistics can help. Firstly, we need to identify exactly what young people are looking for when it comes to their careers, and how the logistics sector measures up to their expectations of what makes a great job. Thanks to research fromGeneration Logistics, it turns out that a ‘ Good work-life balance ’ is the most important consideration (69%), in joint first place with ‘ High rates of pay ’ (69%) and closely followed by ‘ Something I enjoy / I am good at ’ (63%). ‘ Flexible hours ’ comes in as the fourthmost important consideration (50%), with ‘ Job security ’ landing in fifth place (42%). Given what young people seem to be looking for, we need to identify why logistics could be the solution. With its wide diversity of career paths, logistics is a sector that sits at the forefront of advanced technological developments, offering roles that relate to robotics, autonomous vehicles and last mile delivery solutions, to name just a few. Spanning skills in digital technology, engineering and everything in between, logistics is calling out for young people who can manage everything from the apps customers use to track deliveries, through to the automated robotics found in warehouses. Focused as they are on sustainability, automation and continuous improvement, logistics companies know that training and development for those that will lead the charge is essential. If you’re still not convinced as to why you should encourage your class to learnmore about logistics as a career path, there are plenty of other reasons – such as the ones below. Why enter logistics? 1. Progression In any career, your prospects matter. Young people want to know that they’re going somewhere. Logistics has a culture of promoting from “Manyyoungpeople simply don’t knowwhat ‘logistics’ is, andwhat the sector involves” 26 teachwire.net