1.
International Convention 2017 Macao
Developing Logistics
Competences and
Training in the World
Macao | 11-14 June 2017
by Kai Hoberg
Associate Professor of Supply Chain and Operations
Kühne Logistics University, Germany
www.ciltinternational.orgInternational Convention 2017, Macao, Smart Journey Belt & Road

2.
SLIDE 1PROF. DR. KAI HOBERG
PROJECT OBJECTIVES
1. Identify reasons for skills and labor shortages
in logistics around the world, particularly in
emerging economies
2. Examine the current state of training and staff
development and suggest improvements based
on best practice examples
3. Provide guidance for governments on how to
upgrade the logistics workforce
4. Provide a toolkit for assessing the country-
specific situations

3.
SLIDE 2PROF. DR. KAI HOBERG
PROJECT OVERVIEW
Phase 1 Phase 2
Key
activities
Outputs
 Literature review:
70 relevant papers and reports
 Online questionnaire survey:
219 responses
 Semi-structured interviews: 38
interviews
 Focus group discussion: CILT
Convention, Dubai
Phase 1:
Global overview on logistics
competences and training
Phase 2:
Development of
country assessment toolkit
 Identification of 20 assessment
areas
 Development of maturity model
for all 20 dimensions
 Identification of relevant
interviewees
 Pilot assessment in Togo
 Free summary report with best-
practices in the world (please
approach me)
 Public version to follow in
Q3/2017
 Free toolkit for assessing the
logistics skills capability in a country
 Guiding document with 40 pages
available (please approach me)

4.
SLIDE 3PROF. DR. KAI HOBERG
RESULTS PHASE 1:
SHORTAGE OF LOGISTICS TALENT BY JOB TYPE
Operative logistics / blue-collar staff
e.g., truck driver, fork lift driver, warehouse picker
Administrative logistics staff
e.g., traffic planner, expediter, warehouse clerk
Logistics supervisors
e.g., team leader in warehouse, traffic controller
Logistics managers
e.g. responsible for transport, warehousing
operations, supply chain management
% of respondents rating the availability of ‘suitably
qualified logistics staff’ in their country low or very low
In emerging countries, main
shortage is at the managerial level
In developed countries, main
shortage is at the operative level
31%
36%
42%
54%
45%
33%
34%
39%
Emerging Developed

5.
SLIDE 4PROF. DR. KAI HOBERG
RESULTS PHASE 1:
CHALLENGES IN LOGISTICS TALENT AVAILABILTY
 Technical sophistication of logistics has been
outpacing the rate of skill development
 University courses have not adapted rapidly
enough to new logistics / supply chain challenges
 Inadequate levels of training and
apprenticeship in the logistics sector
 …
Difficulty in recruiting
new logistics
employees
with adequate skill level
Inadequate skill level
of existing logistics
employees
 Steep increase in the level of logistical activity
and related employment requirements
 Nature and rewards of many logistics job
considered poor and uncompetitive with other
occupations
 Poor image of logistics: low level, blue-collar,
ancillary etc.
 …
SELECTION

6.
SLIDE 5PROF. DR. KAI HOBERG
PHASE 2: COUNTRY ASSESSMENT TOOLKIT
Toolkit is intended to assist governments in
 Determining the logistics skills requirements of their economy
 Assessing to what extent they are being met by current training and
education
 Providing guidance on how to address this problem
The assessment is conducted in three phases:
1. Preparation: Finetuning the toolkit to the country, identify interview partners from
different stakeholder groups, setting up interviews, collecting other data
2. Assessment: Conducting 15-20 interviews in the country with governments, LSPs,
shippers, education institutions, professional associations
3. Recommendation: Prepare recommendations and valid in focus group discussion
Assessment requires 2 experts for 3 to 6 weeks (over 3-4 months)

7.
SLIDE 6PROF. DR. KAI HOBERG
INTERVIEW PARTNERS WILL BE SELECTED FROM
DIFFERENT LOGISTICS STAKEHOLDERS
Stakeholder Group Category Examples of Interviewees
Government and
administration
Ministries Experts on logistics or education
Statistics and employment agencies Experts on logistics or education
Logistics service
providers
Local companies (e.g. airport operators, port operators, freight
forwarders)
HR-personnel, logistics
executives
Multinational companies (e.g. UPS, DB Schenker, Maersk, DHL,
Kühne + Nagel)
HR-personnel, logistics
executives
Shippers Local companies (e.g. mining companies, fruit exporters,
agricultural cooperatives, state-owned companies)
HR-personnel, logistics
executives
Multinational companies (e.g. Coca-Cola, P&G, Unilever,
Samsung)
HR-personnel, logistics
executives
Educational institutions Universities and colleges Logistics and management
professors
Vocational institutions Logistics teachers
Private training providers CEOs / senior executives
Professional associations
and others
Local associations Chairman / head of professional
development
International associations Chairs of local branches
Business organizations Trade bodies Director generals / CEOs
Labor unions General secretaries
Recruitment agencies General agencies HR-personnel focused on logistics
employment
Logistics-specific agencies HR-personnel focused on logistics
employment

8.
SLIDE 7PROF. DR. KAI HOBERG
ASSESSMENT CLUSTERS
Demand
Supply
A4
Skills level of existing
administrative logistics
employees
A1
Recruitment of operative
logistics staff
A3
Recruitment of
administrative logistics staff
A2
Skills level of existing
operative logistics
employees
A8
Skills level of logistics
managers currently in post
A5
Recruitment of logistics
supervisors
A7
Recruitment of logistics
managers
A6
Skills level of existing
logistics supervisory
employees
A12
Quality of logistics
education by private
training providers
A9
Availability of vocational
education in logistics
A11
Availability of logistics
education by private
training providers
A10
Quality of vocational
education in logistics
A16
Quality of in-house training
A13
Availability of logistics
education by universities
A15
Availability of in-house
training
A14
Quality of logistics
education by universities
A17
Certifications of logistics
skills
A19
Attractiveness of logistics
industry
A18
Role of associations
A20
Availability of recruitment
services

9.
SLIDE 8PROF. DR. KAI HOBERG
MATURITY ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY
Sample questions
Level 1
Minimal Capability
Level 2
Marginal
Capability
Level 3
Average Capability
Level 4
Advanced
Capability
Level 5
Global Best Practice
 How much capacity do private training
providers have to support logistics skill
development
 What share of the current logistics employees
has participated in training programs offered by
private training providers?
 How is private providers’ share of the logistics
training market changing?
 How are the private trainers trained?
 …
Little or no private
training providers exist
Private training
providers exist and offer
logistics education
They play a minor role
in skills development in
logistics
Trainers have limited
training / certification
themselves
Little segmentation of
the market.
Private training providers
are an important source of
logistics education
Participating in their
training is common
practice for logisticians
Private logistics training
meets high professional
standards and is well
endowed with trained,
certified and experienced
staff
A11
Availability of logistics education by private training providers
Evidence for Maturity Assessment:
Assessment Score:
EXTRACT

10.
SLIDE 9PROF. DR. KAI HOBERG
RECOMMENDATIONS CAN INCLUDE
DIFFERENT ACTIONS
SELECTION
Stakeholders Examples of Actions
Governments  Supplement infrastructure investments with logistics capability investments
 Use regulations to improve working conditions in the logistics sector
 Facilitate multi-stakeholder collaboration
 Enhance the image of logistics within the country
 Provide direct and indirect support for training initiatives
 Raise skill level in state-owned logistics businesses
 Consider additional funding for logistics education programs meeting certain standards
 Develop business plans and investment cases for raising skill levels of logistics employees
 …
Companies  Implement regular in-house training on all hierarchical levels by internal experts
 Design standardized training programs with external support (from professional associations or training
agencies)
 Consider further development of soft and leadership skills to build on basic competences
 Device career paths for logisticians
 …
Educational
Institutions
 Offer logistics courses and degrees locally
 Collaborate with institutions specializing in logistics abroad
 Leverage logistics associations and public-private-partnerships
 Facilitate collaboration with local companies Design up-to-date logistics curriculum and apply modern
teaching methods
 Design logistics student exchange programs
 Set up joint logistics and SCM programs with universities abroad (e.g. double degree)
 …

11.
SLIDE 10PROF. DR. KAI HOBERG
CONCLUSIONS
1. Our first phase provides evidence that confirms that there
is general shortage of qualified logistics staff at all
levels
2. Logistics skills shortage has many causes – we need a
range of policies and actions to correct it
3. Toolkit has been developed to help governments assess
logistics skills shortages
4. Recommendations from toolkit should provide
recommendations for governments on how to
proceed

12.
SLIDE 11PROF. DR. KAI HOBERG
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR ATTENTION
Prof. Dr. Kai Hoberg
Associate Professor of
Supply Chain and Operations
Strategy
Kühne Logistics University –
The KLU
Tel.: +49 40 328707-201
Mob.: +49 160 947 64441
E-Mail: Kai.Hoberg@the-klu.org
Website: www.the-klu.org

13.
SLIDE 12PROF. DR. KAI HOBERG
IF YOU HAVE THE CHANCE TO COME TO GERMANY
VISIT KÜHNE LOGISTICS UNIVERSITY IN HAMBURG
 A private, independent, state-
accredited university – founded
in 2010
 A university with expertise in
logistics and management
 3 M.Sc., a Bachelors, an EMBA
and a PhD programs – 270
students
 23 professors plus contributions
from a group of external
academics
 Ranked #3 business school in
Germany

14.
Chart 13
BACKUP

15.
MACAO | JUNE 13, 2017
DEVELOPING LOGISTICS
COMPETENCES AND TRAINING IN
THE WORLD
CILT INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION
KAI HOBERG, ALAN MCKINNON, CHRISTOPH FLÖTHMANN, MORITZ PETERSEN

16.
SLIDE 15PROF. DR. KAI HOBERG
APPROACH FOR TOOLKIT
Phase 1:
Preparation
Phase 2:
Assessment
Phase 3:
Recommendations
Documents
Dossier on
Country Specifics
Preliminary
Assessment Report
Adapted
Interview Guide
Final Assessment
Report
Flow of Activities
Define Objectives of Assessment
Perform “Quick Scan” of Country
Refine Objectives of Assessment
Compose Sample of Interviewees
Conduct Interviews
Assess Maturity Levels
Prepare Preliminary Assessment Report
Identify Policy Responses
Schedule Interviews and Adapt Interview Guide
Conduct Focus Group Discussion
Prepare Final Assessment Report

17.
SLIDE 16PROF. DR. KAI HOBERG
RESULTS PHASE 1:
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS CAN HAVE A BIG IMPACT