The skills shortage is a
major handbrake on
business growth in
Africa, but companies are
increasingly realising the only way
to counter it is to train themselves.
And with the revised B-BBEE
codes that come into effect in 2015
making skills development a focus
area for South African business
in particular, it is an area that
business will be looking at more
and more.
Companies
like Cargo
Carriers have
recognised
that taking
responsibility
for training
and skills
development
is vital to
long-term
sustainability
and expansion.
Shortage
of skills is perhaps the most
important factor holding back
growth – not only in South Africa
but across the continent – and
the most effective solution is for
companies themselves to invest in
training and skills development
directly, says divisional marketing
director of Cargo Carriers, Andre
Jansen van Vuuren.
“After rising fuel costs, the
shortage of skills is the major
challenge faced by road-freight
service providers,” he said. “That’s
why Cargo Carriers is really
enforcing
training
and skills
development.
We have been
proactively
engaged with
the problem
for several
years. With the
demise of the
apprenticeship
system, there
has been little
choice.”
And he sees the skills deficit as a
challenge from a technical as well
as a managerial perspective.
“The shortage of technical
skills affects general operational
efficiency – our aim is to train
technicians to a level that
increases productivity and SHEQ
(Safety, Health, Environment
and Quality) standards. In the
management area, it’s a businesssustainability
issue. It’s about
managing a growing business,
bringing people up from base
level so they really understand
the culture of the company. It’s
about producing managers with
Cargo Carriers in their blood.”
The policy is already bearing
fruit. The first management
trainee has been placed within
the group. “We’ve also had our
first group of five diesel mechanic
apprentices come through the
training programme,” says Van
Vuuren. “Two of them have
successfully passed their exams,
and are now qualified diesel
mechanics. Diesel mechanics –
technical personnel in general
– are a major issue for us. There
is most certainly a shortage of
qualified diesel mechanics and
when you do find them, they
come at a very high cost. So
the apprenticeships that we are
funding can only prove fruitful
for us in the future.”
The company applies the
same principle to management
training. “We currently employ
eight trainee managers,” said
Van Vuuren. “They all have a
tertiary education, whether it’s
a transport diploma or even
a degree in logistics or supply
chain. These trainee managers
undergo training in every aspect
of the business – marketing
and sales, operations, technical,
admin and finance. The third
programme is a 24-month
audit learnership programme in
conjunction with the Institute
of Internal Auditors, to offer
employees the relevant training
within the internal audit and risk
function.”
INSERT & CAPTION
After rising fuel costs,
the shortage of skills is
the major challenge faced
by road-freight service
providers.
– Andre Jansen van Vuuren
