Harmonisation, innovation and transparency: IRU Academy ATI meeting 2024

At their annual meeting, IRU Academy Associate Training Institutes (ATIs) from around the world explored the critical role of harmonisation, innovation and transparency in fostering a skilled professional road transport workforce.

A key issue facing the road transport sector is the chronic shortage of truck drivers. According to IRU's 2024 study, the share of unfilled truck driver positions exceeds 7% globally. Europe is particularly affected, with 0.5 million vacancies, equivalent to 12% of the total driver workforce. The ageing driver population, compounded by a lack of young entrants to the profession, is a major factor exacerbating this issue.

The consequences of the shortage are significant, ranging from reduced industry growth to increased safety risks due to a lack of skilled drivers. Although one potential solution involves recruiting drivers from countries with surplus labour, administrative barriers and mismatched qualification standards have hindered success in this area. A coordinated effort to streamline international recruitment processes is seen as a critical step forward.

The meeting also explored the importance of improving gender diversity in road transport. Tailored training programmes and measures to address barriers such as safety concerns, challenging working conditions and limited access to opportunities for women were highlighted as key strategies. More insights are available in the Women Driving Change report.

Projects driving change

The inconsistencies in driver qualification frameworks across countries pose a significant challenge for the industry, leading to oversight burdens and a lack of trusted documentation for driver competencies. To tackle the lack of harmonisation between the EU and third countries, IRU is working on the STEER2EU project. The project is notably comparing qualification programmes, training structures and examination processes. A workshop on the initial findings will take place in Brussels on 4 February 2024.

Another significant driver shortage initiative, the Skilled Driver Mobility for Europe (SDM4EU) project, funded by the EU Migration Partnership Facility, is exploring steps to ease recruitment barriers by facilitating EU companies' recruitment of third-country drivers. The project seeks to alleviate driver shortages in the EU while raising training standards in the countries of origin.

The meeting also spotlighted the benefits of IRU's global partnerships, such as the IRU-CLDP project, which offers technical assistance to support transport operations. It has now been extended to Kazakhstan and Tajikistan. This collaboration, carried out with IRU members KAZATO and ABBAT, will enhance training capabilities in the region.

Innovative tools

IRU showcased several digital tools designed to support ATIs and transport companies in achieving excellence.

The IRU Examiner platform introduces harmonised methodologies and transparent certification processes for professional qualifications. By leveraging international standards, it ensures compliance and trust, supporting both training providers and regulatory authorities.

IRU RoadMasters, on the other hand, provides a digital skill-profiling tool for drivers, offering companies clear visualisation of drivers' knowledge and competencies. This enables informed human resource decisions and helps mitigate risks associated with performance gaps.

Public link

Please use the above public link if you want to share this noodl on another website.