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Logistics Academy for the West Midlands concept launch at Birmingham City University’s Technology Innovation Centre

8th July 2008

Birmingham City University was selected as the launch pad for a skills delivery infrastructure proposal, on behalf of Skills for Logistics (SfL) – an employer-led, national, Sector Skills Council. Some 30 professionals from the supply chain, logistics and transport management fields, assembled in the University’s Technology Innovation Centre (TIC) to hear SfL’s proposal for a ‘one-stop-shop’ academy to meet the skills needs among the region’s logistics employers.

Skills for Logistics' West Midlands manager, James Billingham, told the delegates that, as a result of extensive consultations with employers, the need had been identified for an effective logistics training infrastructure to be established. The aim is to bring regional co-ordination to the profession’s skills development and career progression, whilst offering access to qualifications at a range of levels.

This would form the basis of a relevant and consistent programme to be offered nationally.

James Billingham said: “The complex modern business practice of logistics employs a quarter of a million in the West Midlands and underpins every supply chain in the region. It is clear a programme of qualifications is needed to help anyone in the industry with ambition to make progress. Our proposal offers educational stepping stones and support services to employers ranging from a basic knowledge of logistics, through to qualifications appropriate to senior management.”

Birmingham City University’s TIC is one of the UK’s few centres offering a master’s degree course in logistics. This gave it an authoritative role, as the West Midlands senior educational institution, to host the Skills for Logistics’ launch of the Logistics Academy proposals. An audience comprising representatives from other universities, further education and private colleges, as well as training centres at every qualification level, were invited to participate in the consultative event at TIC. This provided a forum where all levels of interest aired their views and interests concerning the operation of a network of institutions which would collaborate to offer the required range of courses.

Details were given of Skills for Logistics’ Professional Development Stairway – a 12-step framework for career planning and continuous professional development programmes, together with relevant qualifications. This ‘stairway’ is the product of wide-ranging consultation with logistics operators, of all sizes, and across every type of supply chain.

SfL’s James Billingham said: “A major strength of the logistics profession is that it underpins every sector of the economy. UK plc depends absolutely on the efficient functioning of logistics operations. Yet the sector has had an image problem, born out of the fact that it is a rather invisible and much misunderstood business function.”

TIC’s director for both logistics and supply chain management MSc courses, Dennis Foster, comments: “The Skills for Logistics’ stairway has been designed to perform a number of functions for the sector. Firstly, it offers a career framework allowing those who work in logistics to see how their future can be mapped out and helps managers to plan which skills they need to develop in their staff. It also enables them to identify where they need to import new skills into their team. Secondly, it offers companies of every size and type a programme of continuous professional development which is an increasingly significant factor in staff retention. It will undoubtedly involve a wide range of educational providers alongside ourselves.”

The Logistics Academy in the West Midlands is intended to be a network of educational bodies able to offer the range of courses able to meet the multiple needs of the stairway’s twelve steps. These embrace job roles from new recruits to the level of global supply chain director and encompass as many as 470 competency elements. Anyone wishing to explore steps up the Skills for Logistics’ stairway should contact James Billingham on 07841 995 401, visit www.skillsforlogistics.com or contact Birmingham City University’s Dennis Foster on 0121 331 5400.;

For further information please contact Birmingham City University Media Relations Office on 0121 331 6738, email press@bcu.ac.uk or out of hours on 07967 271 532.

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