Trade groups: ensure transport and logistics are included in government skills shake-up

Road transport and logistics should be a priority for inclusion in plans announced this week by the new prime minister to provide early access to technical education, skills training and work experience for teenagers, the Road Haulage Association (RHA) has said.

Andy Burnham has set out plans for children aged 14 upwards to combine their core academic subjects with technical education linked to jobs in their area, in a new initiative set to be rolled out from 2028. The proposals will see mayors and administrations build links between employers and local schools and colleges, with priority funding for vocational and technical qualifications.

Among the skill areas identified by the government were engineering, healthcare and digital technology, but the RHA observed that road transport and logistics were not mentioned within the announcement, and called for their specific inclusion.

“The prime minister is right to say Britain should value the hard hat every bit as much as the graduation cap,” said RHA skills policy lead Sally Gilson.

“For too long, technical routes have been treated as second best. Giving young people access to skilled careers from 14, and linking that learning to real vacancies locally, is exactly the change our industry needs.

“Road transport is already feeling the strain. We have a well-established driver shortage and an ageing workforce, with too few young people coming through to replace those retiring. A shortage of qualified heavy vehicle technicians is making it harder and costlier to keep fleets on the road – and 85 per cent of Britain’s goods move by road, so that is felt right across the economy.

“Decarbonisation also demands not just mechanical skill but electrical, digital and software expertise. These are also among the most future-proof jobs there are: you cannot automate the person who inspects a vehicle, spots a physical fault and carries out a safe repair.”

She said road transport and logistics should be named as one of the local priority pathways.

“The routes must be designed with employers, lead into properly funded apprenticeships and short courses, and be backed by schools that show young people these are skilled, secure and rewarding careers.

“Get the detail right – the funding, the qualifications and the role for employers – and this is a real chance to give technical education genuine parity of esteem, and build the workforce our economy will need for decades to come.”

Ben Fletcher, chief executive of Logistics UK, said the reforms should help build a long-term workforce for British industry.

“The logistics sector is one of the UK’s largest employers, supporting eight per cent of the national workforce, with thousands of exciting, technology-enabled roles in logistics hubs in communities across the country, including the Midlands and the North of England.

“For the past four years, our sector has led the Generation Logistics campaign to showcase these opportunities to young people and educators and build awareness of the opportunities that the sector has to offer.

“The fact that opinions have started to alter towards careers in logistics shows that opinions can change, but with so many sectors finding it hard to recruit new talent, it is important that industry continues to build strong links with employers.

“Combined with the prime minister’s devolution agenda, these education reforms create an even greater opportunity for employers and schools to work in partnership, inspiring the next generation and equipping them with the skills they need for rewarding careers.”

But he added that, for the plans to succeed, regional mayors would need to look beyond their immediate geographical boundaries.

“Many of the country’s largest employers and logistics hubs are located between, rather than within, our biggest cities. Ensuring those businesses are fully involved will be essential if these reforms are to connect young people with the full range of opportunities available in their local economies.”

The Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) also welcomed the commitment, and urged government to ensure the automotive sector was central to the new policy in order to translate into real opportunities for young people.

Nick Connor, CEO of the IMI said: “It is a huge relief to hear that, at last, government is recognising the essential role of technical education. For too long the focus – and pressure on young people – has been on academic subjects. But now a new technical pathway from age 14 will combine core academic subjects with hands-on technical education, work experience and stronger links to local employers, delivered in partnership with devolved authorities, businesses and schools.

“For too long, career paths that didn’t involve university have been viewed as second best, which completely undermines the fundamental role of technical skills in our economic and social infrastructure, and not on an equal footing. And the automotive sector has suffered as a result.

“We really hope that this new policy can be effectively shaped to ensure young people can tap into the enormous range of opportunities across all technical roles, including automotive. The sector offers a huge range of exciting and diverse career opportunities and is being transformed by electrification, advanced diagnostics and AI-enabled vehicle systems. It needs technicians, engineers and technologists with exactly the kind of skills this announcement is talking about.”

IMI also offered to be directly involved in the shaping of the new policy, and to provide insight from its membership, employers and wider industry.

“The test of this policy will be in the detail of how it’s delivered,” added Nick Connor. “If these reforms are shaped with genuine input from those with first-hand experience, like our members, and backed by proper investment in facilities, teacher training and industry placements, they could make a real difference to youth unemployment – and to a sector crying out for talent.

“The IMI stands ready to work with government, devolved authorities and schools to make sure young people leaving this new technical pathway are walking straight into apprenticeships and careers in automotive and that the skills gap the industry has been warning about for years finally starts to close.”

The government announcement comes following the publication of an interim report in May by the former minister Alan Milburn, who was asked by the previous prime minister Keir Starmer to examine the issue of why so many 16-to-24-year-olds were not in employment or training.

His findings painted a “stark picture”, the government says, of a system that too often sees young people leaving school without the necessary skills, experience or connections to transition into work.

Mr Burnham said: “For too long in this country, students have been told that you must take the academic path to do well and to be respected. The whole school system has been built around it and that has let down young people seeking technical qualifications.

“I want an education system based on parity between academic and technical which gives all young people a clear path in life…

“My message to young people is this – whether you choose construction, coding or classics, or maths, manufacturing or mechanics, you’ll get the skills you need and be given the respect you deserve.”

Lucy Powell, who was appointed last week by Mr Burnham as the new education secretary, added: “By offering high-quality technical and vocational education alongside academic achievement, we’ll give more young people the chance to leave education with the skills, confidence and opportunities they need to thrive in today’s economy and the careers of the future.

“The technological revolution we are living through should mean young people become the fresh lifeblood our economy needs to adapt and grow. I want to make sure this generation is able to seize that opportunity, whatever their background or postcode.”