Logistics and Warehouse

Logistics is a diverse sector covering road, rail, sea and air industries, the sector is a key part of the growing service economy with other sectors heavily reliant on freight services such as retailers and manufacturers whose businesses depend on the efficient movement of goods.

With Brexit, technology and other disruptive forces driving changes in the way goods move across borders and through the supply chain, logistics has never been more important to the economy.

COVID-19 has also accelerated the shift to e-commerce and online retail with increasing demand for warehousing and wider supply chain logistics.

Alongside opportunities from changing consumer behaviour, the sector is also seeing opportunities emerge from new technologies and ways of working such as automation (e.g. digital warehouse picking and packing) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) (e.g. assisting with back office functions such as accounting, HR, finance, customs brokerage etc.), which are changing the shape of logistics and have the potential to significantly increase productivity. The sector is also adopting more modern and sustainable transport with green electric fleets helping to reduce emissions.

Staffordshire is an extremely well-connected centre of modern logistics at the intersection of three major engines of UK growth with an excellent commercial offer and professional services are growing quickly.

Due to our strengths, we have seen continued interest from investors with the likes of Pets at Home and ASOS moving to the County during the pandemic providing much needed jobs for our residents.

There is continuing high demand for occupations related to storage and warehousing alongside transportation occupations such as HGV and van drivers.

There is also growing demand for skills required to embrace advancements in digital technology that can assist with growing more highly productive advanced logistics. This will entail a shift from manual, transactional occupations to more strategic, higher level supply chain expert roles including Planning, Procurement, Category/Commodity Management, Supplier Relationships, Logistics, Sourcing, Quality Management, Warehousing, and Inventory Management. These supply chain experts will inform IT personnel such as computer programmers to define, design and shape the direction that technology takes as it applies to the digital supply chain.

Top hard skills in demand:

Warehousing

Palletizing

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Forklift Truck

Manual Handling

Order Picking

Supply Chain

Collections

Trunking

Top common skills in demand:

Communications

Customer Service

Loading and Unloading

Management

Detail Orientated

Sales

Operations

Enthusiasm

Planning

Leadership