Sharon Kindleysides, chief executive at The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT UK), celebrates International Women's Day 2023 and examines the key issues around representation in the industry.
The biggest issue facing women across logistics and transport is that they don’t have a complete idea about what logistics is, and therefore view it as daunting.
There is often an assumption that you’re going to be sleeping in a lorry and, as a result, sadly people are not aware of the range, depth and richness out there for them to grasp.
At CILT, we see it as our responsibility to showcase the industry in a better way in order to change perceptions.
One key myth that we need to bust is the view that logistics and transport primarily offer low-skilled jobs. However, what people don’t realise is that our roles transcend industries, so if you’re an HR professional for example, there is a role in logistics for you.
Better representation across the profession is needed, especially when it comes to explaining what the profession is.
Engineering has had an issue around representation for more than 30 years, and despite the vast amount of work in this area, engineers have barely cracked it – unfortunately logistics and transport are even further behind.
To encourage women to pursue logistics and transport as a career, we need targeted advertising and awareness campaigns.
Ideally, this should be tackled when women are choosing their A-levels, when they're choosing their degrees, it needs to be presented as not just a job that stereotypically men perform well in.
It is imperative that we make an impact early by going into schools and having marketing materials ready and available so this can be replicated across the country.
In partnership with Logistics UK, CILT (UK) has taken a step towards changing the image of logistics through the government-backed campaign, Generation Logistics. It highlights how critical the sector is through a decisive marketing campaign, and shows the huge range of roles and career development opportunities that are available at all levels and across all modes and activities.
In my own personal experience, I’ve faced several challenges in my career due to being a woman. However, I believe that people need to remember to believe in themselves. It's hard to do, especially at the start of your career. But, if you're feeling slightly insecure or hesitant, remember everyone else is too. They just may not show it.
I’d also suggest finding someone to talk to, as a sounding board can be useful if you think something has gone wrong.
It’s important to also have women you look up to. For me, Dr Anne-Marie Imafidon, founder of the Stemettes, the social enterprise which encourages girls and young women to pursue careers in STEM, is the woman that inspires me the most. She is absolutely my heroine.
When I ask myself how will I embrace equality this year? I would like to think it's in the way I live my life. I try not to make any assumptions about anybody. I take people as they come and try to treat everyone as a person.
