‘Business as usual’ at JAUPT as Skills for Logistics closes its doors
The authorities have insisted that the closure of Skills for Logistics (SfL), the sector skills council for the UK freight logistics industry, will have no impact on JAUPT, the Driver CPC periodic training approvals unit.
JAUPT was established in February 2007 to manage Driver CPC training in a service level agreement with the Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) in Great Britain and the Driver & Vehicle Agency of Northern Ireland.
Driver CPC training providers have to pay £500 a year to JAUPT be approved as a training centre and £252 a year to have each course approved, then an ‘upload fee’ for every individual completing a seven-hour training module.
It is incorporated as a ‘company limited by guarantee’, and has been jointly guaranteed and governed by SfL and its equivalent body for the hospitality, passenger transport, travel and tourism sector, People 1st.
DVSA told Transport Operator: “There will be no impact on the service provided by JAUPT.
“JAUPT is an independent limited company and has standalone resources enabling it to continue providing services as usual.
“JAUPT continues to be supported by People 1st.”
A spokesperson for People 1st told Transport Operator: “Everything is very much business as usual at JAUPT. Both the team at JAUPT and People 1st have said that it is regrettable that SfL is unable to continue its work, but there will be no adverse impact on JAUPT or its service.
“People 1st will continue to support JAUPT and continue to help the industry to develop and maintain a world-class workforce.”
The end of direct government funding and the burden of its pension scheme are being blamed for the closure of SfL, which had a turnover of around £3.6 million and employed the equivalent of 34 full-time staff.
A statement from SfL said: “Skills for Logistics has worked hard to exist and be effective over the last two-to-three years in the ‘new world’ of substantially reduced public funding for skills initiatives, and now being required to become 100 per cent funded through employer projects, has struggled to both replace revenue streams and continue to fund pension recovery payments.
“The organisation and its business plan have remained reasonably strong, however given the reduced activity level in 2015 and obligations to the pension scheme (particularly in the light of a new approach by its trustees), the board felt it would be better to seek alternative options for the continuing industry skills projects. The board is therefore appointing an administrator and starting to work with our stakeholders to find a natural home for any on-going projects.”
