A Northamptonshire-based training facility is helping to upskill the next generation of logistics workers. The Hub, based at Prologis RFI DIRFT in Daventry, is a purpose-built facility, which is home to Prologis UK’s Warehousing and Logistics Training Programme (PWLTP).
After launching in 2021, the PWLTP is helping young and unemployed people in the Northamptonshire and wider SEMLEP area gain the skills, knowledge and competencies to find a job and build a career in logistics. In 2021, 96 local people completed the training programme and secured employment with local logistics employers, delivering a social value of £1.54 million.
Among those taking advantage of the training programme, backed by Prologis UK and delivered by Goodwill Solutions, is Rachel Priest, a 28-year-old from Northampton. Rachel is using the programme to sharpen her CV and practise her interview skills, as well as gain important workplace qualifications, such as a forklift truck driving licence. She is supported by Right Resolution CIC, an organisation which supports young people in Northamptonshire and Peterborough leaving care.
Speaking about the PWLTP, Rachel Priest, said: “I’ve always been a hands-on person and the range of jobs available in logistics really appeals to me. The courses so far have been great and I’ve really found it useful talking about my CV and my skills. It’s given me a lot more confidence and I feel much more comfortable about applying for jobs now. Achieving my forklift licence is very exciting too!”
After progressing though the programme, where courses cover resilience and employability skills including workplace relationships, inner drive, CV writing and self-presentation at interviews, attendees are put in contact with local logistics businesses that are currently recruiting skilled workers. Many of these businesses are long-term customers at nearby Prologis Parks, allowing course participants to find sustainable employment, close to where they live.
Robin Woodbridge, head of capital deployment at Prologis UK, said: “Seeing people progress through the courses and find employment is exactly why we set up the PWLTP. Businesses on our Prologis Parks need access to an employment pool of skilled workers and we know there’s an appetite in the region for jobs which offer security and progression. The Programme has had a very strong start and we’re looking forward to helping many more people build a career in the fast-paced world of logistics.”
As a sector, logistics offers a broad range of job opportunities; from warehouse and forklift truck operatives, through to customer service advisors, automation engineers and data analysts. Across the UK, the sector supports 2.6 million jobs and is actively recruiting. During the pandemic, logistics employees were given key worker status, due to the importance of their roles and recent research conducted by Prologis UK shows that 1 in 2 people believe that logistics workers are perceived more positively now than before the pandemic.