FTA partners City & Guilds in bid to fill logistics skills void

The announcement comes in the wake of sector skills council Skills for Logistics going into administration after hitting funding problems. 

FTA has said that it believes that the logistics industry has been ‘overlooked by government’ for funding to support vocational training because of the absence of a nationally recognised qualification framework.

FTA’s partnership with City & Guilds will provide nationally recognised qualifications across a range of professions with the aim of providing a more complete range of skills development opportunities in the logistics sector.

James Hookham, FTA Managing Director of Policy and Communications said: "The logistics sector has been overlooked by government for too long for skills funding, partly because it lacks a national vocational training structure or recognised qualification structure. FTA’s partnership with City & Guilds will aim to deliver that and help fill the void in skills development opportunities in the logistics sector.”

As a leading vocational education and training organisation, City & Guilds internationally recognised qualifications are valued by employers, and help individuals develop their talents and abilities for future progression, and will provide learning excellence to the logistics sector.    

The first of the FTA – City & Guilds qualifications will be for Commercial Vehicle Fleet Management and a level 3 qualification, equivalent to current Transport Manager CPC, will be launched during 2015.

FTA and City & Guilds will be announcing development of further qualifications for the logistics industry during 2015.

Mr Hookham added: "FTA is delighted to be working with City & Guilds, through this unique partnership we will provide learning excellence with vocational training industry standards which will help bring the logistics sector in to the 21st century.” 

The Association’s ongoing commitment to quality, continuous improvement and innovation, has made FTA one of the UK’s leading provider of training in the freight and logistics industry.FTA is the premier trade association for freight and logistics and after 125 years in existence is regarded as the voice of the industry, and will provide expertise knowledge regarding the needs of the logistics sector through this partnership.