First Choice Staff, the leading UK recruitment agency serving the freight, transport, and logistics industry has partnered with The Job Gym GM to offer its clients access to training and development programmes for staff in the North West of England, funded by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA).

The £129 billion UK logistics industry is crucial to the economy, ensuring the sustainability of business and consumer supply chains. The sector provides a wide range of job opportunities, competitive salaries and promising career growth, and is constantly looking to recruit new talent and develop the skills of its existing workforce to meet the manpower requirements across end-to-end supply chains.

Over the past year The Job Gym GM has helped 554 people gain their HGV licence, ensuring businesses have reliable drivers to keep their operations moving. The training ensures drivers gain a Class C licence and are trained in key aspects of their role, including safe and secure loading and unloading, fuel efficiency, and brand protection.

Rhonda Ferteklis, Branch Manager Manchester & Group PSL at First Choice Staff, and Trish Nightingale, Referral Account Manager at Mantra Learning Group, marking the start of the new training and development partnership in the North West

Additionally, The Job Gym GM supports staff working to gain their RTITB Forklift Truck Licence, ensuring they can work safely and efficiently in a warehouse environment in a bespoke training facility. The Job Gym GM has helped 564 learners gain their FLT licence with a pass rate of 93%.

The Job Gym GM has been providing training to residents of Greater Manchester since 2008. Its programmes are fully funded by the GMCA if employees earn under £23,104, live in Greater Manchester, have lived in the UK for over 3 years and are over 19. If they earn over the threshold the programme will be partially funded.

Chas Dowton, Founder of First Choice Staff, said: “Our local branch in Manchester helps growing companies in Greater Manchester and the North West of England to recruit the people they need to support their busy freight and logistics operations. Providing high quality training and skills development is not only important to employers, it also matters to employees because they are more likely to stay within companies where they are learning new skills and progressing. The Job Gym GM is an exceptional and very successful initiative, and we also applaud the Greater Manchester Combined Authority for the leadership they are showing in supporting the growth and sustainability of this vital industry.”

The Job Gym GM’s programmes include:

• HGV and Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC)

• Warehouse Operations

• Forklift Truck Licence

• Express logistics sortation hub

• Digital skills to ensure staff are confident using Microsoft Office and online communications channels

“The Job Gym GM, part of Mantra Learning Group, is excited to be partnering with First Choice Staff to offer first class, government funded training programmes to businesses across Greater Manchester to help upskill employees. Our programmes cover Logistics, HGV, Customer Service, Warehousing & FLT, Digital Skills, First Aid and Mental Health Awareness. They are designed for businesses to adapt to meet their changing needs in a volatile environment,” said Jim O’Connor, The Job Gym GM’s Employability Director.

“The programmes offered are developed to give learners the industry knowledge, best practices, and skills to be a proficient, productive, and professional member of a team. All programmes are funded by Greater Manchester Combined Authority to help businesses invest in their workforce to unlock their potential and meet their growth ambitions and goals. With more than 30 years’ experience of recruiting staff at all levels of the freight, transport, and logistics sectors, and with its strong presence and client base in the North West of England, First Choice Staff will be a valuable partner in helping us support more companies in our community,” he added.