04 August 2013
The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) is in the process of prioritizing qualifications for which training regulations (TRs) for several courses seen to boost workers' skills in the logistics industry will be developed.
In a consultation with industry leaders, TESDA identified priority courses where training will be needed to ensure a steady supply of skilled workers in companies engaged in the business.
These are courses on warehouse operation (for warehouse pickers, packers, item handlers, warehouse checkers, consolidators, inventory controller); material handling equipment (MHE) operation; and transport-related services (for warehouse load planners and dispatchers).
"There is a need for a competency-based education and training and possibly apprenticeship programs for trainees eyeing potential employment in the logistics industry,” Secretary Joel Villanueva, TESDA director general, said.
Logistics, along with housing, infrastructure, manufacturing, agri-business, tourism, and Information Technology-Business Process Outsourcing are among the job-generating sectors identified by the National Economic Development Authority.
"The forwarding and logistics community are poised to make headway under a favorable economic climate, and this means jobs and more jobs," Villanueva said.
"We want to take advantage of this by arming our trainees with the right skills so they would have greater chances of landing in jobs in the said sectors," he added.
Companies engaged in the logistics business provide warehouse and transport services to clients, which include, among others, storage services, material handling services, inventory management and control system, facility management and transport planning management.
TESDA recently met with representatives of the supply chain management and logistics industry associations and beefed up plans to work together to come up with training regulations (TRs) for the development of courses relevant to their business.
The Supply Chain Management Association of the Philippines pledged to provide data and other information that would aid in developing the TRs.
DHL Supply Chain, one of the world's largest logistics specialists, expressed their need for truck drivers that have full knowledge of the whole logistics process and possess the right work attitudes and values of the company.
Toplis Solutions, meanwhile, said it was already conducting in-house and hands on training for job specific warehouse operations catering to its clients’ needs, but would need support from government to train more workers for the growing industry.
Both Toplis Solutions and the Association of Carriers and Equipment Lessors (ACEL) Inc. said they would work with TESDA for the registration of their training programs with the agency.
According to Toplis Solutions, developing the training and certification of potential workers will not only benefit the logistics industry but other companies with similar business such as manufacturing and other Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) firms, which also have their own managed or outsourced warehouses.
Sally Habana, Toplis Solution’s general manager, said workers can look forward to a promising career in the logistics industry as entry-level workers such as warehouse pickers could eventually move up to becoming team leaders, and eventually, warehouse supervisors and/or managers.
Toplis Solution's project in-charge, Alex Imperial, said the development of training regulations for the three courses would help potential workers gain a foothold in logistics firms. He estimated that around two million entry level warehouse employees are currently employed in the warehousing/logistics industry and expected to grow by leaps and bounds in the coming years.
Suzie Mitchell, DHL country managing director, revealed how the company has grown operations in the country, having 16,298 employees in 2008 to 33,229 in 2012. She said this number is expected to grow in the next three years.
Both the priority qualifications and the Training Regulations should go thru the review and approval of the TESDA Board.
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