Metro Minds is currently
piloting a research training
project focused on practical training
within a 3PL/4PL environment to
get staff ready as high-performance
workers even before they start at the
job.
This, according to Metro Minds
CEO Juliette Fourie, involves
setting up small business units
within organisations to handle these
functions, thus exposing trainees to
‘real-life’ operational scenarios.
“The scope of 3PL/4PL services in
education and skills development has
been so focused on compliance
that organisations don’t realise
the kind of transformation that
can be effected if they simply
shift the focus a bit,” said Fourie.
She said that private sector
training solutions were often
very rigid and did not allow
businesses to adapt their ‘people
development’ value chain to new
and innovative solutions.
“Going from 3PL to 4PL
service providing, for example,
is not just time-consuming
but extremely costly. Practical
training could potentially cut down
dramatically on costs by upping
operational skills,” said Fourie.
She urged companies to invest
in proper talent pool programmes
that focused on innovative education
good practices, and not to just start
up a training programme but build a
pipeline of talent.
“This is not a quick-fix, but it
is a great start. Future successors
should be identified as a scarce skill
to be addressed and their skills
development should be a priority,”
said Fourie.
Evaluating whether the successor
is on track is critical. “As we believe
we are a 4PL training provider,
Metro Minds can offer solutions in
most areas of any value chain. We
build relationships with enough
specialists in the
field to be able to
accommodate
our clients’
training
needs.”
INSERT & CAPTION
Future successors should be
identified as a scarce skill
to be addressed and their
skills development should
be a priority.
– Juliette Fourie
