To combat the driver shortage, a sum of twenty million euros is needed. Of this, the sector itself can contribute ten million, the remaining amount must be invested by the government, according to the Transport & Logistics Sector Institute (STL) and TLN. "We wonder whether we can find enough drivers who can and want to do the work," TLN said.
During the presentation 'More drivers for the sector', the results of the 2016/2017 sector plan were announced. Over the past two years, 2,638 lateral entrants found jobs as truck drivers through STL, and last year STL says it trained 2,600 drivers. However, 11,000 people responded to STL's calls. "That means we were able to help a quarter of those people find work. An excellent score," Willem de Vries, director of STL, told De Telegraaf. "In a normal job application, you might take on one in 10 people."
The parties want to bring in another 3,000 people over the next two years with support from the state. This plan would be badly needed as tension in the labour market continues to rise and companies are eager for truck drivers. "We wonder whether we can find enough drivers who can and want to do the job," said chairman Arthur van Dijk. There would not be enough people coming out of secondary school who want to become drivers.
STL says it will invest ten million euros in a new recruitment programme in the coming year. The body wants the state to invest the same amount to retrain potential drivers.
