Bulk Tanker Emergency Response: Road Transport Workforce Profile, Skilling and Retention Challenges

6 September 2012

Cameron Baker, General Manager – Skills and EngagementTransport and Logistics Industry Skills Council

The Transport and Logistics Industry Skills Council is funded by the Commonwealth Government through the Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education.

Transport & Logistics

ISC

tlisc.org.au

Introduction

• The Transport and Logistics Industry Skills Council (TLISC) is one of 11 independent, not-for-profit Industry Skills Councils (ISCs) established by the Australian Government.

• Led by industry and funded by Government through the Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education (DIISRTE).

• TLISC’s mandate is driving the skills and workforce development agenda across the transport and logistics industry which encompasses activities in: road transport, logistics & warehousing, rail, maritime, ports and aviation.

The role of the Transport and Logistics Industry Skills Council

Training Products & Services

Analysis & Intelligence

Productivity & Skills

Transport & Logistics

Workforce

Transport &

Logistics Environment

al Scan

2012 E-Scan – Key Focus Areas

The E-Scan highlights the impact of the following issues on the Transport and Logistics Industry:

• Major business challenges facing the industry and their potential impact on skill requirements.

• Anticipated skill and labour demands for each of the industry sectors.

• Skilling needs to meet technology and safety developments in new vehicles.

• Skill shortages in each of the industry sectors.

• Industry responses to changing skill demands.

Latest T&L Cross Sector Intelligence

• There are more than 165,000 businesses in Australia’s

Transport and Logistics Industry, which in 2011-12 has an estimated worth of $122.3 billion.

• The average age of workers across all Transport and Logistics specific sectors is universally higher than

any other industry (Figure 1.1).

Latest T&L Cross Sector Intelligence

Focus on Road Transport

• Total domestic road freight has grown sixfold over the past four decades.

• Total freight task projected to double again over the next two decades.

• More than 100,000 truck drivers employed nationally.

• One of the highest reported percentages of male workers in the Transport and Logistics Industry.

• Average age of workers across the sector is 43.8 years of age.

Focus on Workforce Skilling

Barriers to overcoming skills and labour shortages:

• Ageing workforce

• Major difficulties in recruiting younger workers - licensing, insurance and a general interest in

industry.

• Outdated image of the industry and its opportunities.

• Demonstrated high demand for experienced Dangerous Goods Drivers versus the

ability to recruit from an ever decreasing pool of potential employees.

• Competition for skills from the resources industry – transport and logistics skill sets are highly transferable.

Focus on Workforce Skilling..

Some possible solutions overcoming skills and labour shortages:

• Targeted recruitment outside traditional areas of the labour market.

• Flexibility in job role – shift configuration and the ever elusive ‘work life balance’.

• Mentoring programs to improve the skills of younger workers – providing a pathway for older and

younger workers to integrate.

• Driving retention through skilling – nationally recognised qualifications for older and younger workers alike.