TIACA encourages tomorrow’s airfreight leaders

Young professionals from six logistics companies in the Netherlands have taken part in a new programme aimed at developing talent and improving collaboration across the airfreight supply chain.
Each of them – from Air France KLM Martinair Cargo, Jan De Rijk Logistics, Tosoh Corporation, Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Agility and Swissport – visited each other’s places of work to gain a better understanding of processes and to explore new ways of improving co-operation.
The initiative was launched by The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA), with the help of Air Cargo Netherlands (the industry association for the air cargo business in The Netherlands), as part of TIACA’s commitment to training and supporting a new generation of air cargo leaders.
“This initiative will hopefully be the start of many more to follow, where we can develop young talent to be the leaders of tomorrow,” said Sebastiaan Scholte, vice chairman of TIACA and chief executive of Dutch road feeder services provider Jan de Rijk Logistics, which is headquartered in Roosendaal in the Netherlands.
“It is a unique programme as it involves a vertical integration of the supply chain with complete openness and transparency,” Scholte informed.
“It is more and more difficult to discover and develop talent, especially in small and medium-sized companies,” he opined.
“Ideally, we would like to see this develop into an internship scheme, so we not only prepare our future talent, but also improve co-operation in the supply chain.”
“We have gained understanding for each of the partners’ activities in the air cargo supply chain,” said Jeroen Leemans, a sales manager with Jan de Rijk Logistics, who participated in the initiative last week.
“What we have found is that by working closely together there is a lot to gain every step of the way.
“Currently we optimise our own processes and we do a good job, but issues arise around the transfer of information as well as the physical hand-over process.
“For the air cargo supply chain to grow, we need to understand how to work better together with our partners,” Leemans remarked.
TIACA’s Education and Research Committee members will be discussing possible next steps for the scheme at their coming board meeting.
The association has also developed a Professional Development Workshop Program aimed at growing the management skills of air cargo professionals. The next workshop takes place in Anchorage, Alaska, between August 29 and September 1 this year.
The program is designed to offer participants an appreciation of the air cargo supply chain and its component parts by encouraging discussion and the sharing of perspectives, as well as provide practical advice and insight.

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