The Imperial Logistics Academy has been launched to address South Africa’s critical skills shortage.

The Academy is the natural next step in the evolution of Imperial group’s education and development efforts.

Marius Swanepoel, CEO says, “Imperial has always strived to be an employer of choice and a learning organisation, so we’re not new to training. Our multi-faceted learning and development framework has garnered numerous accolades and awards over the years, including the ‘SAPICS Corporate Educator of the Year’ award and the South African Graduate Recruiters Association’s ‘Graduate Employer of Choice’ award. When we recognised the need to move to the next level, and establish an, accredited in-house training facility to upskill our people, the Imperial Logistics Academy was born.”

The academy provides customised, integrated training and development programmes that are aligned with national qualifications, as well as practical short courses to address specific skills development and career advancement needs.

“In addition, the academy enables graduates to enter the supply chain and logistics industry through graduate development and Learnership programmes. A dedicated graduate development manager engages with further and higher education institutions on a continuous basis, to reach graduates around the country. Guest lecturing is offered, and the academy also participates in career days, to maintain a close relationship with higher and further education institutions. A key strategy is to build a pipeline of graduates, to feed into the Imperial Logistics internships and bursary schemes.”

All training is customised, to reflect the Imperial approach and encompass Imperial Logistics’ best practice.
“Subject matter expertise drawn from within the organisation enhances the training programmes. Skilled Imperial Logistics people contribute to content development, and offer guest lecturing and mentorship. This means that skills are transferred both internally within the group and externally, to develop the broader supply chain industry.”

In line with Imperial Logistics’ vision to expand its African footprint, the Imperial Logistics Academy is affiliated with the Imperial Health Sciences Supply Chain Academy, which is one of Africa’s leading providers of training and development for people working in the continent’s public health supply chain.
“As the Imperial Logistics Academy’s African partner, it offers training and skills development beyond South Africa’s borders, to health and logistics practitioners in public health facilities, government health departments and private logistics companies.”

Also complementing the Imperial Logistics Academy’s offerings is its collaboration with Ikaheng HR Services, a group company that focuses on operator and legal compliance training,

The Imperial Logistics Academy also aims to drive industry cooperation, partnerships and knowledge sharing. The Academy is closely affiliated with the Transport Education and Training Authority, as well as other leading industry associations, such as the Road Freight Association; SAPICS and CIMA.

“At Imperial Logistics, we believe that the right solutions and services are meaningless without skilled people to adopt, implement and support them. Through the Imperial Logistics Academy, we aim to get the best from our people and help them get ahead, as well as advancing the supply chain and logistics industry as a whole.