40 | Tees Business
In it for
the long
haul
Changing the
perceptions of logistics
in the Tees Valley
T
he logistics sector is struggling
to attract the talent it needs, not
only to sustain future growth but
also to maintain current levels of
employment.
The haulage industry alone needs to
recruit around 60,000 drivers to address
current labour shortages. If you consider
port and rail sectors as well, this number is
much larger.
Various factors have led to this shortfall,
compounded by lower numbers of EU
workers opting to work in the UK and an
ageing workforce. The logistics sector also
has an image problem. It is still perceived
that all the sector has to offer is low paid,
unskilled manual work, which simply isn’t
the case.
When people think of logistics the first
thing that often comes to mind is driving.
However, logistics can be anything from rail
to shipping and air freight. The opportunities
in the sector are huge, especially with the
growth in the renewables and offshore wind
sectors – and Teesside finds itself at the
heart of this revolution.
One business that’s certainly seeing
this is Teesside-based AV Dawson. The
firm operates a 100-acre port facility in
Middlesbrough, offering a full logistics
service including port operations, the
largest independent rail terminal in the
North-East and extensive road transport
services. It is also home to 38 tenants
including Prysmian Group, one of the
world’s largest suppliers of offshore cables.
AV Dawson has been looking at ways to
change perceptions and promote the sector
as an attractive career prospect. The River
Tees, on which the company operates, is
the lifeblood of the area, supporting sectors
from the chemical industry to offshore and
renewables’ manufacturers.
It should come as no surprise, as one
of the largest rivers in the region, the Tees
is the biggest exporting river in England
by gross tonnage. However, jobs in the
Driving forward - AV Dawson transport
manager Paul Scott (standing) with driver
Jim Williams.
logistics sector supporting these industries
remain relatively unrecognised.
Anthony Suddes, AV Dawson’s marketing
manager, says: “I spend a proportion of my
time, along with other colleagues in the
business, promoting AV Dawson and the
logistics sector.
“It is important that pupils from primary
school through to university understand
there are opportunities for them in this
region and we need ambassadors to talk
passionately and positively to promote the
sector.
“We do this in a variety of ways,
including teaching in schools, colleges
and universities, along with providing
apprenticeships, work experience and site
tours.
“It’s important to understand that
logistics is a diverse sector. It’s not just
driving, you can work in a number of
areas, from finance to marketing, train
driving to ship piloting – the opportunities
are endless. We need to stem the tide of
migrating skills, retaining a skilled workforce
in the area. We can do this by changing
perceptions.
“We are heavily involved with the
community, with 95 per cent of our
employees coming from the Tees Valley, and
we want to give back to the area in which
we operate through community initiatives
and charities. We are particularly focused
on improving our environmental credentials.
This is becoming increasingly important
when candidates search for a prospective
employer, especially with the younger
generation.
“We sit on the local advisory board of
the Tees Valley Logistics Academy, looking
for ways to positively promote the logistics
sector in the region, and are closely linked
with the High Tide Foundation, a charity
that promotes careers available in the
Tees Valley. We take full advantage of the
apprenticeship levy and work closely with
the armed forces to recruit ex-service
personnel.
“However, it’s important to retain
the colleagues we have, so we strive
to improve our working environment,
upskilling our workforce and launching our
emotional health and wellbeing programme
to promote positive mental health in the
workplace.
“The Tees Valley is an exciting place to
work, full of opportunity, especially in the
logistics sector. If we continue to promote
and talk positively, those perceptions will
change sooner rather than later.”