All Purpose Transport on its way to becoming first in Australia to qualify its entire workforce above a Certificate III
By Sean Muir | July 13, 2012
All Purpose Transport (APT) is on its way to becoming the first in Australia to qualify its entire workforce above a Certificate III.
In a joint initiative with Transform, the transport and logistics industry skills body for Queensland, 80 APT employees and 180 owner-drivers are hoping to attain the Certificate III qualification by March 2013.
Transform Director Louise Perram-Fisk says 100 percent of APT’s workforce signed up for the project, which is now in full swing.
“I guess the big thing about them is they are the first in Australia to qualify their entire workforce,” Perram-Fisk says.
“You know when you ask any workforce who wants to be involved in this sort of thing you usually get half the people interested.
“But they had 100 percent of their people sign up to be part of the project. It’s amazing.”
APT General Manager Paul Kahlert says the aim is to be the most qualified workforce in the industry in Australia by 2013.
“This project addresses our mantra that we’ve had in place at APT for decades,” Kahlert says.
“We know that the best people equal best business and this is another step forward to recognise the skills of our people and establish ourselves firmly as an industry employer of choice.
Kahlert says the project was spurred by a need to attract and retain the best talent as the company moves from a $30-million business to a $60-million business.
The program is supported by Transform at the Transport and Main Roads with leadership from the Transport and Logistics Workforce Advisory Group Queensland (TLWAG-Q), made up of representatives from industry, government and Skills Queensland.
The program is also supported by the Transport and Logistics Industry Skills Council, with funding from the Federal Government’s National Workforce Development Fund, Metropolitan South Institute of TAFE and MEGT.
“The program is a great outcome of what can be achieved when everyone works together,” Kahlert says.
“We also want to share our experience with other industry employers and help them to join us in raising the professionalism of our vibrant and diverse industry.”
APT is a privately owned Queensland road freight company servicing south east and regional Queensland with depots at Loganlea, Coopers Plains, Rocklea and the Sunshine Coast.
