The organisation, launched at the Microlise Transport Conference, is a close collaboration between Microlise executive director Bob Harbey and Road Haulage Association (RHA) chief executive Richard Burnett. Additional support will be provided by Care after Combat, the charity chaired by Jim Davidson OBE.
Road to Logistics will seek to give veterans and reformed offenders the opportunity of a secure long term career in transport and logistics.
Individuals will go through a programme of activity that ends with them securing qualifications such as HGV licences, to enable them to begin a career in the transport and logistics industry. The initial cohort of five drivers has already begun training in the programme.
“We have an objective to have 30 to 50 drivers through the programme by Christmas. We want to walk before we run and ensure that the programme is nationally scalable,” commented Bob Harbey, who is also Road to Logistics chief executive, speaking at the Microlise Transport Conference.
“The aim is to gather evidence during the pilot phase to show the exchequer that there is a net gain to the economy by running this programme. We then hope to secure further funding to increase the numbers of new professional drivers being created,” added Harbey.
Road to Logistics is working closely with services charity Care after Combat and the prison service to identify potential recruits for the programme. Following interviews and employability assessment, Road to Logistics will fund and support new recruits through professional licence training before placing them in an appropriate job.
“Our aim to provide professional assistance where possible for the well-being of veterans and their families,” said Care after Combat executive chairman, Jim Davidson OBE. “By providing secure long-term skilled employment in the transport industry we are achieving many of our goals while at the same time providing a new source of talent for the industry. We think it will be a win win situation.”
Major hauliers have already begun to allocate vacancies and will accept the first new drivers to complete the programme.
Road to Logistics will operate within the Microlise Group for financial stability and an initial investment of £100k has been made by the company to fund the pilot phase.
For more information about recruiting Road to Logistics graduates in to your organisation, visit www.roadtologistics.org.