Transport and logistics industry embraces skills development opportunities

The Transport & Logistics Industry Skills Council (TLISC) is in negotiations with more than 50 enterprises to submit applications for funding to the new National Workforce Development Fund (NWDF).

The TLISC assists organisations in the T&L industry to successfully apply for government-funded training in programs such as Enterprise-Based Productivity Places Program (EBPPP), Workplace English Language and Literacy (WELL) and the Critical Skills Investment Fund (CSIF).

The government is looking to enterprises to co-contribute to developing the skills of their workforce’s and the (EBPPP) represents a watershed in how industry and the Australian Government co-invest to build the nation’s human capital. It recognises that if Australia is to lift its productivity and participation levels, our existing vocational education and training (VET) system needs to be broadened into a skills and workforce development system – one that invests as much in building the capability of the enterprise as it does the competence of the individual.

EBPPP resulted in around 1,400 participants undertaking qualifications in 37 projects across all transport sectors. Approximately $7 million in training costs will be realised by the completion of the program and employers are benefiting from the higher skill levels of their workforce.

T&L organisations are reaping the rewards of successfully securing Commonwealth Government training funding to assist them up-skilling existing staff and training new workers to help lift the productivity at the workplace. Present and future labour and skills shortages are being addressed with training involving:

- up-skilling senior management;

- providing leadership skills for middle management;

- forming part of a retention strategy and building career pathways for employees;

- attracting new workers into the T&L industry.

Recent announcements about the government’s Skills Connect initiatives and the early establishment of the new National Workforce and Productivity Agency have been greeted with enthusiasm by TLISC.

TLISC national manager of workforce development Eddy Suidgeest said: “The future growth and prosperity of Australia’s transport and logistics industry is dependent on its ability to raise its productivity through the skills development of the workforce.

“We are helping transport and logistics enterprises all around Australia secure the funding they need to develop individualised training programs that will up-skill their workers, provide better job security and increase output.”

Source: http://www.tandlnews.com.au/