The Alicante Provincial Transport Federation warns: 2,000 drivers would be needed to meet the current demand for unfilled jobs in the sector in the province. And the problem is likely to worsen with the upcoming retirement of a large number of those who are active, because there is a shortage of candidates willing to take on this essential generational replacement.
The president of the Fetrama employers’ association, Juan José Hernández, adds that “in addition to the characteristics of the road transport sector, there is also another difficulty that prevents having professionals: the high cost of the driver’s license.”
Given the magnitude of the problem, those responsible for the Alicante employers’ association held a meeting yesterday with the regional Secretary of Employment, Antonio Galván, with the aim of establishing collaboration systems that stop the deficit of drivers, which affects both the transport of goods and the of passengers.
Although still insufficient, some initiatives are being launched to try to alleviate the shortage of drivers. This January, the first twenty students have started the ‘Vehicle Driving Classes C1-C’ course at the facilities of the Business Development Center of the Elx town council, a program organized by the Alicante Chamber of Commerce and the Elche town council. .
The president of the Alicante Chamber, Carlos Baño, assured that this course “was born from the urgent demand of companies in the transport sector.” After its completion, companies that hire these young people for 6 months full-time can request non-refundable aid of 5,000 euros that will be compatible with the rest of the administration’s aid.
Until next February 2, the core training in ‘Social Skills and Employability’ will be carried out, with 65 hours, to give way to the delivery of the CAP module starting on February 5, which consists of 150 hours. The process ends with the completion of the official DGT vehicle driving test C and C1 on May 25. The Chamber is in charge of CAP training with an investment of 67,000 euros and the town hall of Elx de la troncal for an amount of 12,000.
The president of Fetrama, Juan José Hernández described yesterday’s meeting as “very positive” and thanked those responsible for the Transportation and Employment area for their “concern, their desire to collaborate with the sector, and their initiative in generating “new resources to meet the needs of transportation, which is vital for our productive fabric.”
Hernández explained that “this first contact has allowed both Employment and Transport to be aware of the need to incorporate young and prepared personnel into the sector. A sector that at the moment is not attractive – not because of the working conditions – but because of the idiosyncrasy of this activity, which makes family conciliation and long trips difficult.”
The regional secretary of Employment and general director of Labora, Antonio Galvañ, valued the meeting as “a very beneficial initiative to try to regain the pulse of a sector so important for the economy of the province of Alicante and the Valencian Community in general” .
Galvañ stated that Labora will provide the necessary means to “channel this demand for workers with people who are looking for a job”, for which he indicated that the Valencian Employment and Training Service “will carry out the relevant actions to orientation and training to articulate the demand for professionals with the supply of workers.”
The regional Secretary of Employment committed to studying possible alternatives and models of collaboration with people who need to join the labor market or who want to change their activity. “Without a doubt, institutional support and public-private collaboration would be essential to meet the existing demand for prepared and trained personnel for this activity, and to favor the insertion of many people who can find a way out in this sector that gives them economic stability.” ”he added.