At a time when the battle against the HGV driver shortage continues to be waged, the Prime Minister has stated that UK logistics is  ‘mission critical to how we live our lives’. He urged young people to consider pursuing a career in the logistics sector after figures showed that startling few currently see it as a real option.

Speaking at a PM Connect town hall event at the new Wincanton distribution centre of furniture manufacturers IKEA, Rishi Sunak referred to logistics professionals as “the lifeblood of our economy, where nothing happens without you and your colleagues”.

10% Would Consider a Role in the Sector

Pointing towards the work that goes on every day in the UK logistics sector, the Prime Minister described those involved as inspirational. He continued, “I’m sure if any of your friends spent time with any of you or came here, they’d be pretty inspired by what all of you are doing, the skills you’re learning and the careers you’ve got”.

The comments made by the Prime Minister came after damning results from research conducted by the government-backed campaign body Generation Logistics. While 40% of the young people asked said that they agreed that the logistics sector was vital in keeping the country successful and moving, just 10% would consider working in the industry.

“Promoting Real People With Real Passion”

Also commenting about enticing young people into the logistics field, Generation Logistics program manager Bethany Windsor had this to say, “Generation Logistics is speaking directly to the next generation of logistics professionals by promoting real people, doing real jobs, with real passion. Encouraging young people into the sector is critical, and there can be no higher endorsement of the profession than the Prime Minister.”

Generation Logistics is an industry-led initiative launched to increase awareness and uncover the next generation of talent for the UK logistics sector. Launched back in August of 2022, it represents a collaboration between over 40 leading trade associations and companies from across the UK. Furthermore, it’s managed by Logistics UK and the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport in the UK (CILT(UK)).

Attracting People From All Demographics is Key

The words of PM Rishi Sunak are welcome, and at HGVC, we echo his words about the work done by professionals across the logistics industry. Young people need to be shown the rewarding careers that are available both as HGV drivers and in logistics support. In fact, more needs to be done to attract people from all demographics.

Meanwhile, we’ll continue to deliver new HGV-driving talent to the UK supply chain via our scalable HGV licence acquisition programs. With a national network of more than 60 training centres staffed by some of the most experienced and skilled instructors in the game, we’re well-placed to meet any size of need.

If you’d like to find out more about the work we do and what makes us different, please take the time to browse our website. Alternatively, to speak to us about your precise training needs, call 0330 818 8888 or click on ‘contact us’ and enter your details – after which we’ll get back to you as fast as we can.