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Recruitment
Page 33
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In December unemployment levels were 5.3% with a slight seasonal reduction. The previous quarter average earnings had increased by 3.6 (or 4% including bonuses).
Andy Greg, head of Blue Arrow Driving, says the seasonal skills shortage through the run-up to winter was pronounced, and is still exacerbated by the cost of entry to a driving career and thE difficulty of putting new drivers in work. 1-la believes that driver availability is better and wages are lower in the North and sees a distinct migration of drivers from North to South at seasonal peaks: "Even after costs for travel and accommodation, earnings are still higher."
Dr Mick Jackson, operations director at Skills for Logistics, says: "As far as driver shortages are concerned our last LGV driver survey shows that the ageing workforce is potentially still an issue, with one driver in six aged over 55 years, and that existing drivers fill most of the vacancies with only 8% of driver vacancies in the past year filled by new recruits. This is likely to become more of an issue over the next few years and something industry needs to address."