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Nieuws en updates • 4 min lezen

Is logistiek een nieuw alternatief voor vervolgonderwijs voor schoolverlaters?

Gemaakt: 03-09-2025

Bijgewerkt: 03-09-2025

Jarenlang was de conventionele wijsheid dat schoolverlaters verder moesten leren. Of dat nu hogeschool, universiteit of beroepsopleiding betekende, de boodschap was hetzelfde: eerst studeren, dan werken. Maar dat verhaal begint te veranderen. Geconfronteerd met stijgende collegegelden, toenemende schulden en onzekerheid over de waarde van een diploma, heroverwegen veel jongeren hun keuzes.

Tegelijkertijd schreeuwt de logistieke sector om nieuw talent. De sector biedt onmiddellijke inkomsten, gestructureerde ontwikkeling en carrièrevooruitzichten op lange termijn - en dat alles zonder de kosten van een hogere opleiding. De vraag is niet langer of logistiek een noodoplossing is voor schoolverlaters, maar of het een echt alternatief is voor de universiteit.

Een sector die talent nodig heeft

Er is dringend behoefte aan nieuwkomers in de logistiek. De Road Haulage Association (RHA) heeft gewaarschuwd dat het Verenigd Koninkrijk de komende vijf jaar 200.000 nieuwe vrachtwagenchauffeurs moet aanwerven - het equivalent van 40.000 chauffeurs per jaar - om de toeleveringsketens in beweging te houden en een herhaling van de tekorten in 2021 te voorkomen.

Uitgezoomd naar het Europese niveau is de uitdaging nog grimmiger. In 2023 had Europa te maken met een tekort van meer dan 233.000 professionele bestuurders - een cijfer dat naar verwachting zal stijgen tot 745.000 in 2028 als er niets wordt gedaan. De gemiddelde bestuurder is 47 jaar oud en bijna 30% is ouder dan 55, wat wijst op een naderende pensioneringsgolf. Toch is slechts 5% van de bestuurders jonger dan 25 jaar. Zonder jongere instromers dreigt de sector tot stilstand te komen.

Het gaat niet alleen om het vullen van cabines. Het gaat om het soepel functioneren van economieën. Het tekort aan chauffeurs heeft rimpeleffecten die alles raken, van supermarktschappen tot bouwprojecten.

In de woorden van RHA Skills Policy Lead Sally Gilson: "Als we de toekomst van de sector op de lange termijn veilig willen stellen, moeten we jaarlijks tienduizenden chauffeurs werven, opleiden en behouden om aan de vraag te kunnen voldoen. Met een vergrijzende beroepsbevolking moeten we ook meer jonge mensen aantrekken in de sector. Om dat te bereiken, moeten we prioriteit geven aan flexibele, gesubsidieerde opleidingsmogelijkheden."

Ondertussen blijkt uit gegevens van [Eurostat] (https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/products-euro-indicators/w/3-31072025-ap) dat in juni 2025 de jeugdwerkloosheid in de hele EU 14,7% bedroeg, met 2,857 miljoen werkloze jongeren. Deze cijfers laten een aanzienlijke kansenkloof zien voor schoolverlaters. In een tijd waarin velen sombere vooruitzichten hebben, biedt logistiek een pad van duidelijkheid, opleiding en financiële onafhankelijkheid.

Percepties veranderen

De perceptie van logistiek als een laatste redmiddel maakt plaats voor erkenning van de tastbare voordelen. In een recent artikel over [Motor Transport ] (https://motortransport.co.uk/five-good-reasons-to-be-an-hgv-driver-and-ease-the-shortage/25837.article) worden factoren als werkzekerheid, een betrouwbaar loon, flexibele werkpatronen en de kans om te reizen benadrukt. Voor velen is het precies deze combinatie van voordelen die logistiek zo bijzonder maakt. Bovendien stellen leercontracten en programma's voor afgestudeerden jonge rekruten in staat om kwalificaties te verwerven terwijl ze praktijkervaring opdoen.

Matthew Bellamy, Managing Director bij SNAP: "Voor schoolverlaters is logistiek niet zomaar een alternatief: "Voor schoolverlaters is logistiek niet zomaar een alternatief. Het is een snelle weg naar een bekwame carrière die klaar is voor de toekomst. Je begint meteen met het opbouwen van ervaring en onafhankelijkheid, zonder de kosten of vertragingen van de universiteit."

Hoewel rijden de meest zichtbare rol is, omvat logistiek veel meer. Schoolverlaters kunnen doorstromen naar opslag, planning, technologie of klantenservice, voordat ze de overstap maken naar een leidinggevende functie. De digitalisering van de logistiek heeft ook de vraag naar nieuwe vaardigheden gecreëerd - gegevensanalyse, routeoptimalisatie en duurzaamheidsbeheer - die een generatie van digital natives aanspreken.

SNAP werkt bijvoorbeeld samen met wagenparken in heel Europa om digitale tools aan te bieden die het welzijn van chauffeurs ondersteunen, hen helpen een veilige parkeerplaats te vinden en de dagelijkse werkzaamheden stroomlijnen. Deze investeringen zijn niet alleen gericht op efficiëntie - ze maken van logistiek een geloofwaardig en aantrekkelijk carrièrepad.

"De industrie heeft frisse gezichten nodig met digitale vaardigheden, veerkracht en een moderne kijk," vervolgt Bellamy. "Schoolverlaters brengen precies dat - en het aantrekken van meer vrouwen zal ons helpen om ons nog sneller aan te passen."

De genderkloof dichten

Diversiteit is een van de grootste onaangeboorde mogelijkheden in de logistiek. Volgens de Wereldbank maken vrouwen slechts 23% uit van de werknemers in transport en opslag in Europa en Centraal-Azië. De Europese gegevens zijn nog zorgwekkender als het gaat om chauffeurs in het bijzonder: slechts 4% is vrouw.

Het is essentieel om meer jonge vrouwen aan te moedigen voor een carrière in de logistiek - of het nu gaat om chauffeurs, planners of managers. Het verbreedt niet alleen de talentenpool, maar verandert ook de cultuur van de sector, waardoor deze representatiever en veerkrachtiger wordt. Het benadrukken van vrouwelijke rolmodellen, het creëren van inclusieve trainingsomgevingen en het verbeteren van welzijnsfaciliteiten zijn praktische stappen die logistiek aantrekkelijker kunnen maken voor iedereen.

Maar al te vaak wordt het afgeschilderd als een door mannen gedomineerde en fysiek veeleisende sector. En hoewel deze stereotypen ooit een kern van waarheid hadden, zijn ze steeds meer achterhaald. De huidige logistieke sector steunt evenveel op technologie en teamwerk als op fysieke arbeid.

De rol van werkgevers en industrie

Wil logistiek kunnen concurreren met vervolgopleidingen, dan moet de industrie op drie fronten resultaten boeken:

Opleidingstrajecten - leercontracten, certificeringen en mentorschap aanbieden om rekruten een gevoel van vooruitgang te geven.

Welzijn en faciliteiten - ervoor zorgen dat chauffeurs, met name jongere en meer diverse deelnemers, toegang hebben tot veilige parkeerplaatsen, schone stopplaatsen en ondersteunende omgevingen.

Career storytelling - de verscheidenheid aan functies en het potentieel op lange termijn binnen de sector laten zien.

Voor vervoerders is de business case duidelijk. Meer dan de helft van de Europese transportbedrijven meldt nu al dat ze niet kunnen uitbreiden vanwege het chauffeurstekort. Bijna de helft noemt een dalende productiviteit en 39% zegt dat de inkomsten dalen. Als er niets verandert, zullen de tekorten niet alleen de groei beperken - ze zullen ook het nettoresultaat uithollen.

Logistiek als eerste keuze

Het debat over verder onderwijs versus werk zal nooit one-size-fits-all zijn. Sommige jongeren zullen het goed blijven doen op universiteiten en hogescholen. Maar logistiek is een haalbare, toekomstgerichte optie.

Voor schoolverlaters betekent het een onmiddellijk salaris, onafhankelijkheid en doorgroeimogelijkheden. Voor de sector betekent het het aanboren van een pool van talent die dringend nodig is. Voor de maatschappij betekent het het versterken van de veerkracht van een essentiële sector.

De industrie staat nu voor de uitdaging om haar vraag af te stemmen op haar visie: opleidingen, welzijn en kansen bieden die kunnen wedijveren met die van het voortgezet onderwijs. Als dit lukt, zal logistiek niet alleen een alternatief zijn voor de universiteit - het zal een voordeel zijn.

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