It’s becoming increasingly difficult to ignore the bleak headlines surrounding youth unemployment, with almost one in six 16 to 24-year-olds who want a job unable to secure one.
“Britain’s youth unemployment tops Europe for first time,” blared The Telegraph last week, while the Guardian described young people’s battle to find a job as “soul-crushing”.
Yet despite the dreary job market, logistics and supply chain sectors may offer part of the remedy for young entrants eager to work, particularly through apprenticeships.
Logistics UK recently announced that higher-level apprentices can often offer much higher pay levels than traditional graduates. More broadly, the Department of Work and Pensions reports that 77 per cent of employers see improved productivity thanks to their apprenticeship programs.
The need, then, is mutual: as much as young people require meaningful job opportunities, the industry’s ageing workforce – and too few new entrants – makes attracting young talent increasingly urgent.
We spoke to Alex Mortimer, commercial director at the Supply Chain Academy, about how employers can help plug the skills gap – and ensure young people actively choose the industry, rather than simply “falling into” it.
How can the sector actively promote supply chain careers to young people?
Career pathways in supply chain need to be communicated more clearly – and that starts with employers. Many UK businesses don’t realise they already have access to apprenticeship levy funding that can be used to upskill early-career talent and support their progression.
Employers also need to take more responsibility for development. Young people can’t be expected to instinctively understand how supply chains work. Attracting talent is a two-way street.
Additionally, when careers are framed through an entrepreneurial lens, showing how efficient supply chains drive profitability, resilience and growth, they become far more compelling to young people.
What initiatives have proven effective in engaging early‑career professionals in the industry?
Some logistics professionals will admit they more or less ‘fell into’ the industry with little knowledge beforehand. It’s why engaging early-career professionals with initiatives that combine early awareness with structured learning proves most effective.
National initiatives are helping to introduce the industry to students, while industry-led short courses, leadership programmes and apprenticeships give young professionals a solid grounding in how supply chains actually work.
We’ve seen young people complete apprenticeships alongside their work and go on to thrive in their careers. With rising student debt, earn-while-you-learn routes have real potential to be scaled.
Which course would you recommend to a young person looking to build a strong career in the industry?
Our Level 3 Supply Chain and Procurement Practitioner programme gives learners a clear understanding of how a successful business operates, covering operations, logistics, warehousing, distribution, procurement and project management.
It also develops essential professional and interpersonal skills, supporting a smooth transition from school or college into the workplace. The programme consistently achieves some of the highest distinction rates in the UK.
Which skills, competencies, or attributes do new entrants need to improve most?
While a lot of established professionals are still getting to grips with AI, many new entrants arrive with a firmer grasp of new technologies. Where the gap really exists is in interpersonal skills and basic workplace awareness.
Schools tend to focus on academic knowledge but not on how to operate effectively in a business environment. That’s where the industry needs to step in, by embedding communication, collaboration and mentoring into early training alongside technical skills.