Members of South Waikato District Council and 10 road transport operators have met with Bay of Plenty Polytechnic to address the region’s shortage of skilled drivers and logistics personnel.
The transport operators feel that Tokoroa may be an ideal future location for the polytechnic’s road transport, warehousing, and logistics training centre, to offer courses.
The reason for this is due to the town’s proximity to the dairy and forestry industries. Those at the meeting share the frustrations of most road transport and logistics operators in New Zealand “ a shortage of drivers.
Bay of Plenty Polytechnic road transport group leader Dean Colville says the training centre partners with industry stakeholders and has offered to train in Otorohanga, Hamilton and Nelson to date.
Southern Institute of Technology in Invercargill has bought the successful road transport training programme from Bay of Plenty Polytechnic. It says training is currently underway with an industry partner.
The South Waikato District Council took the initiative to get the key players from opposite sides of the Kaimais together.
The council is constantly looking for further improvements and ways to enhance the delivery of trades education with local industry support, says mayor Neil Sinclair.
RJ Lincoln Logistics (RJL) was one of the 10 South Waikato road transport companies who met with the training centre team.
Owner Raymond Lincoln says that RJL is facing an ageing driver workforce and also indicated a shortage of logistics supervisors/managers who could fill the gap between drivers and the management team.
Lincoln shared the view of other South Waikato industry players that Tokoroa may be an ideal location to offer road transport and logistics training in future.
Colville says his team is committed to doing everything in its power to be part of the solution.
For more than a decade, the training centre has gone to great lengths to overcome the barriers associated with local and regional training delivery.
With a 95% successful job outcome rate, trainees are popular with employers such as NZL, Marsh Transport, Priority Logistics, Freight Lines and Fonterra.
The centre’s training model differs from merely licensing, and distinguishes itself from other training by including a strong work experience component.
Trainees are required to spend time in the industry while they work through Class 2, 4 and 5 licences, and gain forklift, dangerous goods, tracks, wheels and roller endorsements as part of the training.
Thanks to support and sponsorship from industry partners, trainees are exposed to current resources and equipment.
Fonterra is providing a milk tanker and trailer for driver training in Tauranga, Navman Wireless is providing the latest tracking equipment, and Crown is sponsoring some forklifts.
The training also addresses important aspects such as completing log books, health and safety, hazard and risk assessment, vehicle components, truck dynamics and handling.
Another training innovation includes the centre’s online training in road transport management, which has also proven to be very popular this year.
Trainees already in the road transport industry, are completing this qualification from all over New Zealand.
This qualification is ideal for drivers who’d like to step up into supervisory or management roles, but prefer to keep working and living at home.
Trainees have completed this qualification from as far afield as Christchurch, Invercargill, Foxton, Masterton, Rangiora, Auckland and Upper Hutt City.
Further plans are underway for future delivery of supply chain management and port operations qualifications “ a natural fit with the centre’s base, close to the Port of Tauranga.
The meeting in Tokoroa concluded with all in attendance expressing the wish to enthuse more local young people to consider a career in road transport and logistics.
Council hears feedback that a growing skilled labour force, for transport and logistics, in the district, is an important concept that needs exploring further,” says council chief executive, Craig Hobbs.
“We need to understand the current and predicted skills gap concerns, recruitment pressure points and training requirements.
We look forward to working with Bay of Plenty Polytechnic to progress this,” says Hobbs.
