Driving the logistics learning curve
The award winning IMPERIAL Logistics Learning Academy is a dedicated training and skills development facility. Skills development initiatives that require a coordinated approach across the Group, as well as initiatives aimed at advancing strategic and scarce skills are planned, implemented and monitored centrally.
IMPERIAL Logistics recognises that the optimal growth and advancement of its human capital, is one of the crucial elements in the success and sustainability of the organisation and not merely a compliance issue. IMPERIAL Logistics is therefore committed to allocating resources accordingly.
Our approach to people development is not limited to an internal focus that develop our own skills pipeline – in a national context of critical skills shortages, unemployment and poverty, we recognise the need for partnerships with government, in order to facilitate skills development for marginalised South Africans.
Our key Learning Principles are:
- Learning should be integrated with the business strategy and key HR processes, such as Transformation; Succession Planning & Performance Management
- Learning is governed by a Learning Council, which is composed of EXCO members
- Learning is delivered in partnership with selected, outsourced vendors, who comply with internal and external quality assurance processes
- Learning solutions need to leverage internal expertise
- Learning needs to facilitate the organisation’s core competencies
- We need to establish a culture of continuous, life-long learning, at all levels within the organisation
Learning programmes are offered across four core areas and include:
- Leadership Development
- Supervisory and Management Development
- Core Competence Development. This area includes our offerings around Supply Chain Management & Logistics Learning; Apprentice Training Programmes and Driver Training programmes. The latter focuses on continuous skills development for current drivers, as well as the training of unemployed learners via Driver Learnerships
- Generic business skills and/or short courses.
An annual IMPERIAL Logistics course schedule, as well as an updated programme directory, is made available at the beginning of every calendar year.
IMPERIAL Logistics is a preferred employer of choice and has been recognised in the industry for outstanding performance on this front. Awards and acknowledgements include a Supply Chain Education Excellence Award from SAPICS (2010 and 2009) and Ministry of Labour Good Practice in Skills Development Award (2008).
We invest substantially in the development of partnerships with organisations and institutions dedicated to the development of intelligent Logistics and Supply Chain solutions, as well as professional development in other disciplines, relevant to the IMPERIAL Logistics context. These institutions include the likes of SAPICS, ECSA, SAIIE, CILTSA, CIMA, SCC and CSCMP.
IMPERIAL Logistics supports and presents at most southern African Supply Chain Management Conferences, thereby making a significant contribution towards knowledge transfer and addressing skills shortages in the industry. We also have a partnership with Cardiff University in the UK. Together the partnership performs research projects, conduct pilot studies and share information in the development of optimised solutions.
For more information, please contact Colette Wessels.