David Coombes, MD for Skills for Logistics, takes a look at what you can to to ensure your businesses survives and prospers in these precarious times.

Brexit. The word has become synonymous with uncertainty. Regardless of your political leanings, the UK's current state of affairs is nail-biting. So too is the state of the wider world, with trade wars flaring, diplomatic arrangements creaking and new technologies promising global labour disruption.

How as an employer, or indeed as employee, can you provide yourself with some semblance of security?

I have seen ostriches with their heads in the sand and I have seen rabbits caught in the headlights. I guarantee you those who will succeed in these wayward times are those who graft.

If your company hasn't taken advantage of the apprenticeship levy, now is the time to act. It is not a perfect system, it is still being iterated by government and uptake has been slow.

However it should not be viewed as a tax but an opportunity. Use it to inject young talent, diverse skills - such as digital marketing, and upskill existing staff. Give your team the skills they need to weather the bumps in the road ahead.

If you want to upskill as an employee talk to your manager about the levy. Ask them to email us if they are unsure how it all works. Apprenticeships have changed radically, with level 2 to degree & masters equivalents. Be paid to learn at a time when the industry is short on the skills it needs. There are also free qualifications you can take that can help you upskill immediately like this level 2 customer service qualification.

Such a qualification adds sparkle to your CV and desirable in the modern age where digital tech brings you closer than ever to your customer. Whether you are an employer looking for direction or a worker seeking next steps, ping us an email, we are here to help.

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