The Queensland Trucking Association (QTA) is celebrating National Skills Week by emphasising the importance of proactive workforce planning, apprenticeship development and diversifying talent pools to secure a vibrant, future-ready heavy vehicle workforce.
QTA CEO says in an industry being increasingly challenged by driver shortages, waiting until the last minute to recruit drivers can lead to costly disruptions that impact productivity and safety if adequate training is not undertaken with new drivers.
“We encourage businesses to put as much time into planning their workforce needs as they do to gaining new contracts to ensure they have the workforce capability to suit freight volumes,” he says.
“The heavy vehicle driver apprenticeship which is unique to Queensland, is an excellent opportunity to start ‘growing your own’ drivers and creating a pipeline of new drivers to replace an ageing driver workforce.”
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Mahon says developing drivers through a heavy vehicle driver apprenticeship is a proven strategy to grow an internal talent pool.
He adds that investing in apprenticeships not only ensures drivers are trained safely, but also trained to suit the actual freight task they will perform to the standard of the employer. He says the apprenticeship is vital for safety, professionalises the truck driver occupation and will support the future viability and sustainability of your business.
While many companies can tend to respond reactively to driver shortages, leading to rushed hiring and inductions, higher wages and operational instability, the QTA says proactive workforce planning is critical. This involves forecasting future staffing needs and developing talent pipelines in advance to mitigate costs, enhance safety and improve retention levels.
“The Queensland Trucking Association underscores that diversity and inclusion are crucial for the industry’s future success,” Mahon says.
“By exploring all options – including targeted marketing to diverse cohorts, business can expand their talent pools. Sharing success stories of individuals from varied backgrounds demonstrates that the transport industry offers rewarding careers for everyone willing to explore all the options.”
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