IF BRITISH business is to make a success of Brexit, its supply chain needs to have access to European workers in the short to medium term, according to this FTA, which has published an independent industry report into skills shortages in the logistics industry.
Sally Gilson of FTA has called on government to reassess its immigration system to ensure it is based on needs not qualifications: ‘The Skills Shortage report again shows that logistics continues to struggle to recruit new HGV drivers, with the industry currently needing 52,000 drivers for logistics businesses to be fully operational.
‘Having the freedom to recruit from across the EU has helped to keep our lorries and vans on the road but with uncertainty surrounding the parameters of a future immigration system, the logistics sector is concerned that there just won’t be enough drivers available to transport the goods and raw materials the UK is reliant upon.
‘The Migration Advisory Committee report recommended restricting lower skilled immigration however, logistics businesses are reliant on those workers to keep goods and services moving. Unless domestic workers can be incentivised to switch careers or take up a meaningful apprenticeship in logistics, something which the industry has been pressing government on for a while, businesses will remain dependent on these migrant workers.
‘Without them, goods and services will simply fail to move around the country and across its borders. FTA is urging government to build its future immigration policy on what the UK requires to keep trading, not on a qualification or salary levels.’
As with other service industries, logistics is currently facing significant skills shortages, and the loss of workers from the EU will put further pressure on careers including HGV and van drivers, fork lift operators and warehouse personnel, with EU workers representing more than 12% of the UK’s logistics workforce.
Sally Gilson continued, ‘With Brexit looming large, businesses are having to prepare for all scenarios, but without knowing what the Deal outcome could mean for both EU and UK citizens, it is impossible to plan staffing levels effectively. No one wants vehicles to grind to a halt, but it is a real prospect if the government does not prioritise the confirmation of the workforce which is tasked with keeping Britain trading.’
