Ensure we have a diverse, skilled workforce across the whole industry now and in the future.
The skills shortage in the road transport sector is a chronic issue that continues to affect supply chains. This has been caused by a perfect storm of an ageing workforce, the loss of EU drivers, and the economic shock caused by the pandemic. Today, we estimate there to be a 50,000 shortage of HGV drivers.
We are campaigning to attract new talent into the logistics industry by showcasing career opportunities, raising awareness of the skills shortage, and improving access to funding for training.
The HGV skills bootcamps that were introduced in 2022 have been consistently oversubscribed. We welcome the government’s recent announcement that a further 4,000 places will be made available for 2023. We continue to lobby the government to secure long term funding for the bootcamps as a viable alternative to driver apprenticeships.
The RHA is committed to working with training providers, the education sector and governments across the UK to make a career in logistics an attractive option for school leavers to provide the next generation of home-grown HGV drivers.
We believe the National Skills Fund should be opened to all levels of training and cater for the many occupations that require training to start from foundation level. We are also proposing reforms to the Apprenticeship Levy to provide greater flexibility and access to a wider range of training options.
In the devolved nations, we continue to push for equal levels of funding for apprenticeships and equitable levels of funding regardless of an applicant’s age.
Our key asks on skills are:
- A new T-Level in Logistics
- Reform of the Apprenticeship Levy
- Extension of the Skills Bootcamp
- Reform of the Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC)
- Increased funding for heavy vehicle technician apprenticeships
- Increased local skills investment in the industry
- Confirm Ukrainian commercial licences are valid in the UK
- Increased funding for Category D driver licence training
- Plan for the green skills of the future