During the pandemic, we got a taste of what a shortage of truck/lorry (HGV) drivers looks like, with empty supermarket shelves, a lack of fuel in petrol stations, and delays in vaccine deliveries. The driver gap has been eased in the last five years with government incentives and proactive solutions.
However, the majority of the industry is over 50 years old, with 55% of all drivers between 50 and 65. These drivers will start to retire in the next five years, potentially leaving a major skills shortage. The solution is clear: the industry needs more young people to consider a career in professional driving, or the situation will become critical.
John Keelan-Edwards, MD of Driver Hire Training warns that the UK could face another shortage if no action is taken, and explains how the industry and the government can prevent it. “There is soon to be a wave of drivers retiring and leaving the industry. There are several factors at play when we discuss why we are at risk of a shortage of HGV drivers again in the near future. We don’t have as many drivers from overseas as we once did so we are more reliant on ‘home-grown’ talent. Recent government initiatives have been useful, but professional driving as an industry still lacks diversity in a big way. And the average age of the current workforce is cause for concern – there is soon to be a wave of drivers retiring and leaving the industry”, he says.
“With little interest from school leavers on careers in HGV, the ratio of those retiring and those entering the industry for the first time is at an imbalance. If this imbalance is not rectified, the situation could become critical, as HGV drivers are vital to every industry and supply chain in the UK and beyond. We need more of the current school age generation to enter the industry, and for them to know the fulfilling and varied careers they could have. Incentives such as sign on bonuses work on a temporary basis to boost the workforce, and this may be necessary again should we have a sudden shortfall. For a sustainable and stable future for the logistics industry, we need more of the current school age generation to enter the industry, and for them to know the fulfilling and varied careers they could have,” says Keelan-Edwards.
“There are many challenges in attracting younger people, but timing and image are two of the big ones. Many people will have already decided on a different career by the time they are able to do their HGV training and gain a professional driving qualification. People also now aspire to different career choices – the glamour of travel and the freedom of the open road are not what they may have been in the past. We need a real focus on the positives, from across the industry and media, ideally reaching people when they are still young, or considering a career change. Better access to well-funded vocational training would also help. Professional driving can offer great flexibility, decent wages, an opportunity to see the world and meet interesting people – the list goes on, he adds.”
“The industry needs to embrace young drivers and ensure a comfortable transition from training to their first role. The industry needs to embrace young drivers and ensure a comfortable transition from training to their first role. Many companies are reluctant to hire younger drivers, either due to insurance concerns or simply because they believe experience is essential to do the job efficiently. With good quality training and rigorous hiring practices, that doesn’t have to be the case. People starting out in their careers are vital to the future of logistics.
“We all have a role to play – the industry, government, insurers, employment advice agencies and training providers. We need to combine our efforts to promote the positives of working in logistics to as broad an audience as possible. If we can make high quality training accessible and affordable through better funding and communication, we should be able to attract a younger, more diverse range of people to work in this industry. There are so many positive reasons to work in logistics, and drivers are essential to the health of our economy. It’s a career choice to be proud of,” he concludes.
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