News
Issue No. 10 - April/May 2003
News Snapshots
Transport sector career facelift
SA's transport industry is slated for an image upgrade as advanced technologies and education programs offer new career opportunities.
Government and industry leaders are concerned that the high-growth freight logistics sector - which includes areas such as transport, storage, distribution and freight forwarding - is being ignored as a career option.
Young, qualified people perceive the industry as dirty, old-fashioned and male-dominated, causing a shortage of suitably trained professionals. A drive to attract new talent and to persuade those already in the sector to undergo business training is being mounted jointly by the State Government and industry leaders.
Dr Jane Lomax-Smith, Minister for Small Business was keynote speaker at a special March forum organised by the Centre for Innovation, Business and Manufacturing (CIBM), the Transport Training Advisory Board and the Owner Drivers Association of SA.
"The industry is dominated by small operators who increasingly need an understanding of activity-based costing to survive in a low-margin industry," the Minister says.
Freight logistics represent about 9% of Australian GDP, or $57 billion in 1999-2000. The industry is predicted to grow by 20 per cent per annum over the next five years.
"The industry has progressed enormously in recent years through innovation and advanced technologies," said Jeff Matthews, executive officer of the Owners Drivers Association.
"But to be globally competitive it needs to keep moving forward - attracting people with the right skills and experience is vital."
Mr Matthews said the history of non-education in the transport sector had been broken in recent years as a result of collaboration between governments and industry.
A range of industry-based training is available at the Institute of Applied Logistics and the Transport Training Centre, as well as courses at the Douglas Mawson Log...
