The Department of Education, Training & the Arts (DETA), in collaboration with the Supply Chain and Logistics Association of Australia (SCLAA), are proud to announce the Skills Formation Strategy (SFS) project for the Transport & Logistics (T&L) industry in Queensland.
The Skills Formation Strategy T&L will be run State-wide over a two year period and will provide a framework for T&L industries and communities to work with each other, the Queensland Government and other relevant stakeholders to analyse and address the reasons for skills shortages.
SFS T&L seeks to gain an understanding of skills and labour shortages holistically, recognising skills shortages as a workforce planning and development issue rather than entirely a skilling issue.
SFS T&L also aims to build capacity of industries and regions to work together on common workforce planning issues as well as enhance the capacity of the education and training system to give greater support to the growth of industries and communities.
Ultimately, SFS T&L aims is to facilitate the development of relationships and networks that together will identify causes of skill shortages and work to develop and action appropriate solutions.
The T&L industry in Queensland has recognised for several years that existing skills shortages are not necessarily due to insufficient training and the following sample workforce planning issues will need to be collectively and adequately planned for in the coming two years:
- Poor image an industry holds within a community;
- A lack of, or perceived lack of, career paths in an industry or occupation; Poor job design employment conditions and wages;
- Poor utilisation of skills;
- and Changing aspirations of the workforce and its incompatibility with positions offered.
The availability of skilled workers and sound workforce planning are vital to the long term success and development of our industry in Queensland and it’s now widely appreciated that skills shortages are significantly influenced by a complex set of strategic circumstances.
The effects of these can be minimised if a strategic and collaborative approach is taken within an industry or community to the common issues.
Gary Pearson will be the Project Manager for the SFS T&L project, based in our Brisbane CBD project office, and will be catching up with as many industry stakeholders and organisations as possible during 2009 to gain your valuable input into potential solutions to the skills shortage issues, such as:
- Mapping and gaining industry agreement on career pathways in sub- industries;
- Exploring school/industry partnerships to provide work experience; Designating mentors for apprentices and trainees;
- Developing combined recruitment policies;
- Developing workforce planning strategies;
- Introducing activities to change community perceptions of industries and career possibilities;
- and Exploring job redesign.
“As part of the SFS Logistics Project Governance committee for the SCLAA, it is with much pleasure that we have Gary Pearson on board to lead this wonderful initiative,” Mr Liam Stitt says.
“In partnership with the Queensland Government and in hosting the SFS T&L project with DETA, the SCLAA, with Gary providing very capable leadership, is confident that long term industry based workforce solutions can be developed over the next two years and implemented leading to long term benefits owned and managed by industry.”
“Gary’s broad experience in defence logistics, FMCG distribution operations and work force development programs, provides us with an experienced facilitator, who understands the challenges our industry faces and who has a passion for improving workforce outcomes.”
“This is a wonderful opportunity for all Transport and Logistics industry stakeholders to become involved to help identify the challenges we are all facing, and work towards developing these long term solutions,” Mr Stitt says.
This State government sponsored industry engagement initiative is a wonderful opportunity for the T&L industry within Queensland over the coming two years to establish a more permanent network of strategic collaboration in order to effectively deal with those issues that are likely to have a significant impact on our sustainability.
DETA and the SCLAA welcome any initial interest there may be for getting involved in the SFS T&L project and will be engaging our industry in the coming months by multiple means to ensure that everybody has an opportunity to contribute to workforce planning issues.
If your company or association is interested in being a part of the Queensland Skills Formation Strategy T&L Project please contact Gary Pearson, Project Manager on 07 3218 2742 or email sfs@sclaa.com.au
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