Zwolle – Just like in January, unemployment benefits increased in February in the three regions of Overijssel and Gelderland Noord. Transport & logistics also showed an increase in unemployment benefits in both months. The sector is facing economic headwinds. Yet there are many job opportunities, including for truck drivers. Job seekers from other sectors can switch to transport & logistics. UWV and partners help with career and training advice through the regional training desks.
35,000 employees in transport & logistics in Overijssel and Gelderland Noord
35,000 employees work in the transport & logistics sector in the three regions of Overijssel and Gelderland Noord. This means that the sector accounts for 4% of all employee jobs; less than the national share of 5%. There are differences between the regions. The share is smallest at 3% in Veluwe Stedendriehoek; this is 9,500 employee jobs. In Twente this concerns 11,500 jobs with a share of 4%. The Zwolle region has the most jobs in transport & logistics, both absolutely and relatively: the 14,000 jobs have a share of 5%.
Many job opportunities for drivers
The average age within transport & logistics varies greatly per professional group. No fewer than 5 in 10 bus drivers & tram drivers are 55 years or older, and for truck drivers this is 4 in 10. Transport & logistics is therefore one of the top 3 sectors with the highest share of employees aged 55 or older. Many of these employees will retire within 12 years, which could create vacancies to replace them. Partly because of this, there are many job opportunities for job seekers.
Not only as a truck and bus driver, but also as a group transport taxi driver, forklift driver, train driver, garbage collector, warehouse employee, mover, transport planner and logistics employee. The labor market for transport & logistics professions is therefore very tight in the three regions of Overijssel and Gelderland North, just like in most other regions. Many vacancies are difficult to fill according to employers.
Source: UWV
Less demand for transport, but the number of vacancies remains high
The sector is affected by lower economic growth, which reduces the demand for transport. As a result, the number of new vacancies will also decrease in 2024. However, the number of vacancies remains higher than in 2019, partly due to the aging population, when the Netherlands was doing very well economically. There will therefore continue to be a need for personnel in the sector in the coming years.
Opportunities for job seekers from other sectors
Lateral entry is a solution to meet the personnel demand. Almost half of the people who start working in a transport & logistics profession previously had a different type of profession. To make this possible, UWV works together with Allroad employment agency, among others, to train people to become bus drivers. Candidates can obtain driving license D and code 95 and then immediately start working as a bus driver. This is possible in almost all of the Netherlands, both in city and regional transport.
Furthermore, in Apeldoorn, for example, there is a vacancy for a student transport driver, who takes a permanent group of students to school. The driver must have a Taxi Pass or be willing to obtain one. Here too, people from outside the sector can respond to the vacancy. Employers, job seekers, pupils and students can contact the regional training desks of UWV and its partners for career and training advice.
Especially men
Saskia Grit, labor market advisor at UWV: “Mainly men work in transport & logistics, mainly with a permanent contract and usually 35 hours or more per week. The average age in the sector is high. One way to reduce staff shortages is to ask employees to continue working beyond retirement age. Or to attract people over 67 from outside the organization. The number of hours may need to be taken into account; not every retiree wants to work full-time.”
Read more in the UWV publication Transport and logistics in pictures.
More information about the labor market can be found at Labor Market Information (werk.nl).
About UWV Every person wants to participate in society. That is why they help people in their search for work. If that doesn’t work, they provide income. They do this for more than 1.2 million people with WW, WAO, WIA, Sickness Benefits Act and Wajong benefits. They assist employers in their search for new employees. Thinking about labor issues and offering labor market information. Ultimately, everything has one common goal. A society in which as many people as possible participate.
Development of unemployment benefits in February
Unemployment benefits in Veluwe Stedendriehoek will continue to rise in February
At the end of February 2024, UWV provided 4,937 unemployment benefits in Veluwe Stedendriehoek. Compared to last month, this is an increase of 6.4% (+296 payments). This is more than the national increase of 4.0%. Compared to a year ago, the number of unemployment benefits is also higher. The regional increase is 398 benefits (+8.8%). This increase is smaller than the national increase over the past year (+12.9%).
Twente unemployment benefits will rise again in February
At the end of February 2024, UWV provided 5,916 unemployment benefits in Twente. Compared to last month, this is an increase of 6.7% (+370 payments). This is more than the national increase of 4.0%. Compared to a year ago, the number of unemployment benefits is also higher. The increase in Twente is 11.0%, or 587 benefits. This increase is smaller than the national increase over the past year (+12.9%).
Unemployment benefits will also increase in the Zwolle region in February
At the end of February 2024, UWV provided 4,927 unemployment benefits in the Zwolle region. Compared to last month, this is an increase of 6.8% (+315 payments). This is more than the national increase of 4.0%. Compared to a year ago, the number of unemployment benefits is also higher. The increase in the Zwolle Region is 10.6% (+472 benefits). This increase is smaller than the national increase over the past year (+12.9%).
Tags: High demand drivers Overijssel Gelderland Noord
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