Logistics companies that are failing to train their employees are taking a high-risk gamble as the only sustainable competitive advantage in business today is an organisation’s ability to learn faster than their competition.According to Juliette Fourie, founder and MD of training service provider Metro Minds, it is also not just about training employees for the here and now. Companies need to invest in the skills of the future or face the possibility of being left behind.“The future requires holistic business models and looking at the entire ecosystem of a business. Upskilling is a long-term investment aimed at augmenting the knowledge, skill and competencies that help employees advance their careers and give the business a competitive edge.”She says there has to be cooperation between all elements of the business, and challenges like limited budgets and time constraints need to be overcome.The logistics sector has been hard hit, with training and skills development budgets significantly reduced over the past few years – particularly as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.According to the most recent Transport Education Training Authority (Teta) Sector Skills Plan (SSP), the country faces a shortage of skilled workers not only because companies are training less, but also because of the increased use of technology and automation within the sector, affecting many jobs at many levels.Fourie says the supply chain workforce needs modern skills like digital literacy, logistics operations, and skilled people to manage customers' operations and service delivery. “Jobs of the future are being explored and a growing demand for enterprise skills is predicted. Enterprise skills are transferable skills that allow people to navigate complex job functions in different industries. They include digital literacy, communication, creativity, teamwork, problem-solving, critical thinking, and financial literacy,” she explains.It is estimated that jobs of the future will demand 70% more of these types of skills than jobs of the past. Skills development will have to be provided differently as well. According to Fourie, it will now be done through experiences, immersion, and augmented learning instead of traditional education practices. “The percentage of jobs that demand critical thinking has increased by 158%, creativity by 65%, presentation skills by 25% and teamwork by 19%. Enterprise skills are becoming just as important for job entry as technical skills, and human dependency is too strong. The top skills needed for the future are in digital literacy, emotional intelligence, creativity, and a dapt abilit y.”But companies need to understand the value of training and invest in it, gaining back some of the lost ground of the past few years. At the same time, companies need to remain cognisant of the fact that the supply chain is getting more and more advanced and needs more of a strategic, contextual and systems-thinking approach.“The more complex supply chain management gets, the more important it becomes to train employees and develop a talent pipeline within the organisation,” says Fourie.The alignment to future skills required should be a priority right now, in anticipation of the next decade.“Just as the Fourth Industrial Revolution is focusing on the use of technology, big data, artificial intelligence and Internet of Things, the Fifth Industrial Revolution incorporates human intelligence and human capital to enable the Fourth Industrial Revolution to collaborate with the experiences of customers and users. The vision for the Fifth Industrial Revolution is mass personalisation and customisation, made possible by cooperation between man and machine, as human and artificial intelligence work together in harmony.”Businesses not investing in training and skills development will simply find themselves obsolete, particularly in the supply chain and logistics sectors.
