Dive Brief:
- A poll held at the Georgia Logistics Summit revealed that 72% of attendees believe their company is short on labor, WABE reported Wednesday.
- Logistics is thriving in Georgia. Both the Savannah and Brunswick ports are expanding to accept post-panamax ships, while Governor Nathan Deal has committed to spending a billion dollars or more during the next ten years to enhance state roads.
- However, according to the state, roughly 10,000 logistics jobs are available each year due to a high labor demand, a healthy infrastructure and a retiring workforce.
Dive Insight:
A rebranding of logistics is needed if industry in Georgia seeks to gain good hires. A focus on technology and education is required in order to expand perception beyond truck driving and long-distance hauling.
The fact is that logistics is a complex and hugely varied field. At present, one of the hottest areas is last-mile delivery, with startups receiving significant investments from deep-pocketed companies like UPS and Unilever. Other areas include 3-D printing, the Internet of Things (IoT), Drone Delivery and Autonomous Vehicles, all of which are powering a tremendous drive toward technology. Overlooking these fascinating career options at a time when median industry pay is roughly $100,000 is a poor decision, especially when industry is growing and in need of new talent.
Yet the companies in need of workers must reach out and educate potential future employees on the opportunities that exist. They need to fund programs at high school and junior colleges — or four year colleges — that will train students to work with 3-D printers and understand IoT.
Instead of talking about a dearth of staff, the logistics community should move to create interest and generate a strong pool of workers who can drive their companies forward.
