More women will be encouraged to enter the truck driving industry as part of a new strategy to both address the shortage of skilled truck drivers in New Zealand and to improve the image of the industry.
The industry faces a ''chronic shortage'' which will be exacerbated when Immigration New Zealand (INZ) removes truck driving from its Intermediate Skills Shortage List (ISSL) next February, making it harder for employers to bring in overseas drivers to fill their vacancies.
The national body representing the commercial road freight industry, the Road Transport Forum, held a workshop earlier this month and invited women who were involved in the industry, as well as company managers and directors, and representatives from members' associations, the Ministry of Transport, New Zealand Transport Agency and the Ministry of Women's Affairs.
Forum chief executive Ken Shirley said they looked at barriers and challenges for women wishing to enter the industry and, as a result of the meeting, a strategy was developed, and would be released at the industry's annual conference in Wellington in September.
In a recent ''Trucking Brief'' newsletter, it said about 84% of people employed in the industry were men compared to the national average of 54% generally.
Mr Shirley said the transport industry ''was a very macho industry.''
and they intended to launch a publicity campaign as part of the strategy.
''The gender balance is lacking and historically it has been seen as a male profession,'' Mr Shirley said.
''Although there are quite a few women drivers out there who are not just driving big trucks but big heavy combo rigs, we have to make it more attractive to both women and young people.
''We cannot afford not to appeal to the full labour market [to address the skills shortage].''
He said they wanted to improve the image of the sector, which was subject to stereotyping and conservative attitudes.
''Having more women in the industry will contribute to improving the image.''
President of the Otago/Southland (region five) of New Zealand Road Transport Association for Bruce Robertson, of Heriot, who, along with wife Shona, are directors of West Otago Transport.
He said he thought that many rural transport companies he was aware of each needed one or two people to fill vacancies.
''A lot of jobs are not advertised,'' Mr Robertson said.
''Even our service providers are struggling to get staff, including tyre fitters, auto electricians and engineer outfitters and it is a nationwide problem.
''We are looking for another [fertiliser] spreader driver and want to take on an apprentice.''
''With the four-week holidays employers have to hire extra staff just to cover for annual leave and Fonterra swallows up a lot of drivers.''
In addition truck drivers have limitations on the number of hours they are allowed to drive.
He said truck driving was a specialist area with some rigs costing up to $700,000 each to put on the road.
His company has developed an apprenticeship programme to bring on more young people through the ranks and he said it cost about $8000 to get a staff member his licence, not including wages and running costs and then there was the risk of the workers moving to another company after gaining their licence.
Mrs Robertson said she had been involved in the transport industry most of her life and had started her career at her parents' company, Dynes Transport, in Tapanui.
She knows of several companies employing women drivers, many of whom are ''pretty impressive''.
However, stereotyping was an issue that needed to be addressed.
''Gone are the days of `dumb' truck drivers.
''These guys handle $500,000 rigs, plus dealing with GPS [and other technology], and paperwork.
''Another challenge is the mind-set of the older gentlemen [in the industry].
''Although some [older drivers] will never be 100% convinced [about women drivers] attitudes need to change.''
Ashley Millard has been involved with the family business, Summerland Express Freight, in Cromwell, for most of her life and remembers when a pre-schooler, being picked up from creche and spending the day with her father in the cab of the truck.
Now she has her class five licence, manages the Frankton office and oversees the Invercargill site and ultimately wants to run the company.
''Most girls and probably most young people, possibly never even thought about being a truck driver,'' Miss Millard said.
Skills match with migration
Immigration New Zealand (INZ) policy manager Chris Hubscher said the Essential Skills in Demand (ESID) Lists were established in 2002 to help ensure New Zealand's skill needs were met by facilitating the entry of appropriately-skilled migrants to fill skill shortages.
''However, this objective must be balanced by the need to ensure that there are no suitably qualified New Zealand citizens or resident workers available to undertake the work, and that the shortage is `genuine','' Mr Hubscher said.
He said the ESID Lists consist of the Long Term Skill Shortage List (LTSSL), the Immediate Skill Shortage List (ISSL) and a temporary third list, the Canterbury Skill Shortage List (CSSL) and were regularly reviewed and updated and involved extensive consultation.
Following consultation, it was decided that truck drivers would be removed from the ISSL as the occupation had been on the list for several years and the industry has had time to respond to the skill shortage.
''But the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment - of which Immigration New Zealand is a part - recognised that to remove the occupation from the list immediately could have caused some adverse impacts on the industry.
''As a result the industry was given a year's notice of the change and it will not take effect until February next year.''
''It's important to stress that the ESID Lists are not the only options for migrants to enter and work in New Zealand.
''If the trucking industry can still not find drivers once they come off the list, they will still be able to bring in temporary migrants, so long as there are no suitable New Zealanders available to take those jobs,'' he said.
- by Yvonne O'Hara