According to Sysco GB’s Paper titled ‘A Skills Strategy for the Wholesale Sector’ the issues can be solved by removing barriers to engaging new talent by allowing levy funding to support onboarding, work-readiness initiatives and the wider costs associated with bringing new entrants into the workforce.
The report highlights the need to empower businesses to tackle critical skills gaps by enabling levy funding and short courses to support proven, business-led training programmes.
Katrina Simpson-Haines, human resources director of Sysco GB, said: “The wholesale sector is facing unprecedented challenges. We play a vital role in supporting communities across the country, but the skills crisis means that it is becoming increasingly difficult to recruit and train the next generation of workers.
“Our Paper provides some very practical solutions that can be easily adopted to pave the way for a profitable future for the sector and those working within it. We believe the changes we are proposing will help boost productivity, strengthen social mobility, and build a more resilient workforce across the wholesale and foodservice sectors.”