Skills Calculator presses the right buttons

The Skills Calculator, launched by Skills for Logistics in March 2013, is proving to be a success. In just two months, the dedicated website, www.skillscalculator.org, has already been visited by over 1500 individuals. 400 members have joined the on-going discussions on the Skills Calculator's LinkedIn page, while esteemed institutions - such as Logistics Guild, Delivering your Future, Mercia College, Fetch!, Apprentice Supermarket and Inspire Education - have provided their support.

The Skills Calculator is a free-to-use web tool that provides insights into the financial benefits of investing in workplace skills and career development across the UK Logistics industries.

Employers can calculate their return on investment of hiring and training an individual on a Logistics Apprenticeship.

Individuals can use the tool to discover what annual salary they could earn, in any one of the 150+ logistics job roles, featured across all logistics industries and career levels when fully skilled.

Among the glowing testimonials from individuals actively involved in helping improve the training and skills uptake of the logistics industry, and hence the image of the sector as a whole, Steven Edson, Managing Director, ITS Training Limited commented: "The Skills Calculator is a practical tool that is quick and easy to use. Being a further education provider who specialises in international trade, we fully appreciate how diverse the logistics industry is. It is crucial that employers, employees and potential recruits to the industry can find clear and specific information about their particular industry area."

Michelle Tait, Marketing Executive, Institute of Supply Chain Management, added: "The Skills Calculator is an effective way to demonstrate the long term benefit of investing in such courses.  The new online tool is easy to use and provides both individuals and employers with an understanding of the importance of developing skills and knowledge in the workplace and the impact this can have on earning potential and income to the business."

From academia, Keli Burns, Director, Mercia College said that the Skills Calculator is "a valuable tool for businesses and learners to use to see the potential of gaining qualifications. The calculator itself is really easy to use and to understand", while Sophie Williams, Supply Chain and Management Specialist, Distance Learning College, added: "During the initial stages of communication with a potential student we can direct them to the Skills Calculator to demonstrate the true value of studying a distance learning qualification and the potential earnings available to them upon completion."

With further links to information on qualifications, competencies, career options and apprenticeships available, the Skills Calculator will act as a useful resource tool for all of those involved in helping improve both the uptake of recruitment and training of logistics employees - now and in the future - making it a vital issue in a sector that needs to recruit 900,000 individuals leading up to 2020.