• BIFA has welcomed the UK Government’s plans to strengthen technical education by creating new pathways that combine academic learning, practical skills and employer engagement, helping raise awareness of vocational career opportunities.
• The association says the reforms could help address skills shortages in freight forwarding and logistics by changing perceptions of the sector and highlighting the range of rewarding careers available across supply chain management, customs, digital systems and sustainability.
• BIFA is expanding its work with education providers, including South Hampshire College Group, City of Bristol College and Suffolk New College, to connect students with industry and ensure future recruits develop the skills needed to support the UK’s logistics sector.

The British International Freight Association (BIFA) has welcomed the Prime Minister’s announcement of a major overhaul of technical education, designed to ensure that vocational learning is valued equally alongside traditional academic routes.

The reforms will introduce new technical education pathways for 14-year-olds, combining academic subjects with practical skills, employer engagement and work experience linked to local employment opportunities.

Steve Parker, Director General of BIFA, said: “For many years, our industry has been saying there should not be a hierarchy of career choices. Logistics, freight forwarding and the wider supply chain offer rewarding, well-paid careers that are essential to the UK’s economy, yet too many young people simply aren’t aware these opportunities exist.

“The Government’s commitment to value ‘the hard hat as much as the graduation cap’ is a positive step towards changing perceptions of technical and vocational careers. It aligns closely with what BIFA and its members have been working to achieve through our engagement with schools and young people.”

The freight forwarding and logistics sector supports hundreds of thousands of jobs across the UK and underpins international trade. As businesses continue to face skills shortages, improving awareness of careers in the sector is vital.

BIFA has long recognised the importance of engaging with students before they make decisions about further education and careers. Through its schools outreach activities and partnerships with education providers, the association is helping students develop the knowledge and skills employers need while strengthening links between industry and education.

A key example is BIFA’s collaboration with South Hampshire College Group (SHCG), established to help develop courses that better prepare students for careers in logistics, freight forwarding and supply chain management. The partnership builds on BIFA’s 2021 campaign encouraging members to work with schools and colleges to promote careers in the sector.

The collaboration creates structured engagement between the college and freight forwarding businesses in the Solent region, enabling employers to help shape course content and engage directly with students through talks, careers events and industry insight sessions. Students gain first-hand insight into careers spanning customs, compliance, supply chain management, digital systems, sustainability and customer service.

Parker added: “By working closely with education providers such as South Hampshire College Group, we’re helping students gain a better understanding of logistics while giving employers the opportunity to influence the skills and knowledge future recruits will bring to the workplace. BIFA has started to roll out this model with The City of Bristol College and Suffolk New College, which are in areas with significant logistics activity.

“The Government’s proposals to strengthen links between schools and employers create an excellent opportunity for our sector to play an even greater role in inspiring the next generation. BIFA and its members stand ready to support that ambition.”

BIFA believes closer collaboration between education providers and industry will help ensure young people develop the skills employers need while giving them access to rewarding career opportunities in a sector central to the UK’s economic growth and international competitiveness.

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