Logistics UK and Loughborough College Group Join Forces to Supercharge Industry Skills

To address the current shortage of Heavy Vehicle Technicians entering the sector, business group Logistics UK has established a unique partnership with Loughborough College Group’s Stephenson College, which has also been named as a Centre of Excellence for technical and professional training, to deliver specialist apprenticeships in vehicle maintenance and repair. 

“Our sector is always looking for the brightest and best candidates to bring into the industry,” explains David Jordan, Deputy Operations Director at Logistics UK, “and our new partnership with Loughborough College Group will help us recruit the candidates the sector needs and provide them with the best possible specialist training to start their careers in heavy vehicle maintenance.

“By combining Logistics UK’s proven apprenticeship delivery capabilities with Stephenson College’s renowned expertise in delivering technical and trade courses at the Logistics UK Academy, we are confident that we can start to deliver the capable, confident candidates the sector needs with skills that they can use to build a lifetime career.

“Logistics UK is delighted to support Loughborough College Group with the delivery of Level 3 HGV Technician Apprenticeship and further extend our support to members,” he concluded.

Based in Coalville, Leicestershire, Stephenson College is an award-winning Apprenticeship provider which continues to build on its century‑long heritage with a strong commitment to technical education and workforce development. Renowned for its Technical and Trade courses, the college offers state‑ of‑ the art‑ training environments across Motor Vehicle, HGV, Forklift Engineering, Motorsport and more. With 100 years of experience and a wide range of long-standing industry partnerships, Loughborough College Group is looking forward to a vibrant future, supporting vital industry sectors to recruit new talent and upskill their existing workforces. 

Corrie Harris, CEO of Loughborough College Group, said "We are proud to stand alongside Logistics UK at the forefront of this strategic partnership. Supporting the logistics sector is central to our mission, and this College of Excellence designation underscores our commitment to driving skills, productivity, and economic growth across the region and beyond. By working closely with industry, we are helping ensure the sector has the talent and technical capability it needs to power local and regional economies."

Jonny Watkin, Principal of Stephenson College added: "Our new partnership with Logistics UK to deliver the Level 3 HGV Maintenance Technician Apprenticeship reflects our shared commitment to developing a highly skilled workforce for the sector. By combining Stephenson College’s excellent facilities and long‑established reputation for practical excellence with the reach, influence and industry‑shaping power of Logistics UK we are creating an offer of genuine value for employers across the logistics sector. This collaboration positions us to support businesses in attracting new talent, developing their people, and meeting the evolving demands of a fast‑moving industry.”

Logistics UK is a specialist, government-approved apprenticeship provider, with proven expertise in the logistics industry. The business group can offer employers expert advice regarding apprenticeship funding and utilising the levy, as well as bespoke apprenticeship programmes that meet specific business needs.

“Apprentices are a vital cog in the logistics industry’s recruitment wheel,” continues Jordan, “bringing strong skills and an excellent work ethic into the workplace for the benefit of their employers. The new partnership with Stephenson College will ensure that our learners can take advantage of the very latest technological developments in heavy vehicle maintenance to ensure that they are fully prepared for the workplace, while continuing their studies and earning as they learn. We look forward to a long and fruitful partnership with the College which can only benefit our sector in the longer term.”

Logistics UK is one of the UK’s biggest business groups, representing logistics businesses which are vital to keeping the UK trading, and more than seven million people directly employed in the making, selling and moving of goods. With decarbonisation, new technology and other disruptive forces driving change in the way goods move across borders and through the supply chain, logistics has never been more important to UK plc. Logistics UK supports, shapes and stands up for safe and efficient logistics, and is the only business group which represents the whole industry, with members from the road, rail, water and air industries, as well as the buyers of freight services such as retailers and manufacturers whose businesses depend on the efficient movement of goods. For more information about the organisation and its work, please visit logistics.org.uk