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Logistics Project

LOGISTICS INDUSTRY STRUCTURED WORKPLACE CHALLENGE

In 2019 Future Connect conducted a review of the Logistics industry as a career pathway for students in the Brimbank/Melton area.  The focus for this review arose from feedback via the VET cluster that Certificate II in International Freight & Logistics although offered as a course of study was not being taken up by students.  Whilst the Western corridor area of Melbourne was experiencing a substantial growth in the Logistics industry development and employment opportunities it appeared that we had an employment growth area locally that young people were unaware of.

In Term 2 Future Connect established a Reference Group to provide a student perspective of the logistics industry as a career pathway and provide recommendations on how to better develop the student-based knowledge of this industry.  The Reference Group consisted of six students from Kurunjang Secondary College, Lakeview Senior College, St Albans Secondary College and Taylors Lakes Secondary College.  The Reference Group work was conducted as a Structured Workplace Learning placement one day per week for ten weeks as part of their VET Certificate III Business studies course.

The Industry Freight & Logistics Association representing the logistic industry had engaged consultant, Robert Brown, to promote the industry as a career pathway for young people.  In partnership with Robert, logistics industries were approached to be part of the project.  QANTAS, PATRICK-SEAPORT, MAINFREIGHT, MCGREGOR TRANSPORT and LINFOX agreed to host the Reference Group with industry site visits.  Over the ten week period we visited the sites and worked with the students in developing a Business Plan outlining their learnings and recommendations on how to improve the knowledge of students on career opportunities in the industry.

The plan was presented to representatives from the host industries and school representatives from the students' college's on June 27th.  Their recommendations are:

  • Incursions into schools by logistic people
  • Build excursions into year 7 - 9 to different industries
  • All schools have an organisation like Future Connect to connect schools to projects like this
  • Listen to and hear from industry people showing pathways that are successful
  • Listen to the new generation about their experiences and stories
  • Show more, talk less!