Despite the spread of automation and new supply chain management
paradigms, logistics remains dependent on a rather specific set of
skills and competencies, whether for managerial, administrative, or
blue-collar jobs, such as trucking or warehousing. This dependence
implies that the logistical performance of businesses, industries,
and nation states is strongly influenced by the quantity and
quality of the workforce. Insufficient resources of a competent and
properly trained workforce in logistics adversely affect the
quality of service, reduce productivity in sectors dependent on
logistics, and ultimately reduce trade competitiveness. While other
interventions that affect logistics performance - such as
international infrastructures, trade corridors, regulations, and
services - have already been reviewed extensively, this report is
the first to cover the contributions of human resources and explore
how to develop skills and improve competencies, especially in
developing countries. The study proposes a framework for the skills
needed according to the logistics activity (such as transportation
or warehousing) or the type and level of responsibility. Based on
several sources, including recent surveys carried out by the World
Bank and the Kehne Logistics University, the report uncovers where
the skills constraints are according to the type of job or
countries. Findings include that logistics is an industry
struggling to hire skilled workers, although with differences
between developed countries (where trucker shortages are more
acute) and developing economies (where managerial shortages are
more widespread). Typically, blue-collar logistics jobs have lower
status and lower pay than blue-collar jobs in other industries;
they are thus less attractive for skilled workers. In developing
countries with a potentially available workforce, lack of
vocational preparation for careers in logistics means that
less-skilled workers are not easily re-skilled. Logistics tasks at
the upper end of the occupational hierarchy and those with high
information technology content often require an upskilling of
employees to keep pace with new technology. Yet the problem is not
confined to recruitment. The surveys point to limited resources,
money, and staff time allocated to training, especially in
developing countries. Realizing the promise of quality jobs from
the growth of logistics worldwide requires a coordinated effort by
logistics companies, professional associations, training providers,
and policy makers. Through a combination of facilitation,
regulation, advice, financial instruments, and land use planning,
governments can exert significant influence.
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