Logistics companies are investing in robotics and connected equipment, but the skills needed to support those systems are becoming harder to secure. Future forklift and warehouse-robot technicians will need knowledge of batteries, electronics, sensors, software and autonomous functions alongside practical maintenance skills.
Apprenticeships are growing overall in England. Starts rose 4.1% in 2024/25 to 353,500, with participation reaching 761,480. Higher-level programmes are driving much of the expansion: Level 4 and above starts increased 15.1%, while degree apprenticeships represented 17.1% of all starts.
That growth does not remove the concern at entry level. Engineering and technology recorded more than 100,000 starts, up 5% year on year, but engineering-related starts remained 9% below their 2014/15 level. Level 2 engineering starts have fallen by more than half since 2017/18. The IET also reports that 76% of engineering employers have difficulty recruiting people with key skills.
Germany provides a contrasting model. Its dual training system had more than 1.2 million participants at the end of 2025, despite 461,900 new entrants representing a 2.8% annual decline.
Intralogistics manufacturer STILL added 58 apprentices and dual-study students across seven apprenticeship and four dual-study programmes. All 34 members of its previous Hamburg cohort accepted jobs offered by the company, which now has 241 young people in training across eight German sites.
For logistics operators, the message is commercial as well as social: building technical talent early can protect equipment uptime and reduce the risk that labour shortages slow automation projects.
A multilingual professional experienced in Europe, Canada, and China, Herbert has developed invaluable networks in the automotive and energy industries. He has led high-profile projects involving ENBW, Mercedes-Benz Group, Siemens Group, and the Fraunhofer Institute.