We’ve been sharing news recently about the updated National Occupation Standard (NOS) for commercial transport truck operators which was released in the spring. This important work also includes a suite of tools developed to support employers and others with their occupational level training (OLT), commonly referred to as finishing training or onboarding.

The content in the suite of 16 key resources is informed by the NOS — the leading document created by industry for industry. The NOS identifies the competencies that are needed in most workplaces and typically acquired by operators in the first six to 24 months of employment, so the tools support the industry as they train drivers, as well as trainers, coaches, mentors, and assessors.

The resources and tools are designed to bridge the gap between entry-level level training and employment readiness. They help trainers, coaches, mentors, and assessors meet the training needs of their workplace and also help in developing materials to meet the specific needs of the employer, industry, and commodities involved.

The content from the NOS has been divided into two sections: knowledge and practical. One document outlines what a driver needs to know, while the other has what a driver needs to be able to do by the end of an occupational level training program.

The resources also include:

• Guides for designing and reviewing OLT that meet the unique needs of employers in our industry.
• A knowledge exam bank and practical driving assessment in customizable templates for use throughout OLT to assess knowledge and performance.
• Tools to build the capacity of instructors, coaches, and mentors to support driver training.
• Training guides with a standard approach to instructing tractor-trailer inspection, tractor-trailer coupling and uncoupling, tractor-trailer backing, and on-road driving that include tasks required for instructing learners and help for the instructor to identify correct performance and possible errors.
• NOS Supplements with additional occupational competencies needed to successfully operate commercial vehicles on steep inclines or while operating flatbed vehicles.

Developing these tools and making them available is part of Trucking HR Canada’s work to support improved training for all size fleets and drivers on their training journey. A consistent approach will help reduce costs for driver training for all and improve driver recruitment and retention, making our industry more attractive for career seekers across the county.

You can find all the resources as free downloads in English and French here.

Skills and training remain one of THRC’s 5 key strategic goals, supporting our work in ensuring that Canada’s road transportation network has the skilled workforce needed for today and into the future.

This work supports industry in developing highly skilled, productive, and safe drivers.

The work started in 2015 with the development and release of our National Occupational Standard (NOS) for commercial vehicle operators.

Occupational standards serve many practical purposes. Technically, they define the knowledge and skills required and specify what a job incumbent needs to know and do to successfully carry out the functions of a specific job in a typical work environment. They are voluntary and are useful for a host of audiences — including training providers, HR professionals, employers, and governments — as well as others interested in developing training programs, curriculum, skills evaluations, knowledge tests, and more.

Last year, we led a national collaborative effort to update and build on our NOS work – work that has served as the foundation for Mandatory Entry Level Training (MELT) driver training programs across the country. This work’s primary focus was to improve and support occupational level training in the industry.

Occupational level training takes place after licensing and is usually provided by the employer to enhance a new driver’s skills to meet their company’s needs, road, and safety standards.

The current lack of skill recognition for commercial vehicle operators — truck drivers — means that the industry does not have the same access to training funds that other industries with skilled occupations have. While the lack of funding is one factor, the lack of consistency and consensus with driver training is an even bigger one.

As a means of addressing this, THRC worked with a 31-person national Working Group between January 2023 and April 2024 to look at ways of improving occupational level driver training in Canada. This group — which included provincial and national trucking associations, insurance companies, safety organizations, training schools, employers, and other transportation partners — led the charge in updating the NOS, and then identified the resources and tools to support employers and others involved in the development and delivery of occupational level driver training.

The subsequent development and design of 16 key resources support the industry in ensuring our drivers have the competencies they need to be successful, skilled, and safe.

Additionally, these resources support other key industry goals of:

1. Bridging the gap between entry-level training and employment readiness
2. Providing the foundation for a nationally consistent approach to occupational level training that directly supports increased productivity and labour mobility
3. Increasing skill recognition and attractiveness of the occupation
4. Producing better trained and safer drivers

And, by financially supporting this work, the Government of Canada is doing its part to help the industry move forward. Continued support will depend on how we leverage and use these government investments.

And the industry at large can leverage these resources to raise the bar in driver recruitment and retention. With our most recent labour market information (LMI) forecasting a need that could exceed 40,000 drivers between now and 2030 – this remains a crucial business imperative. Which means that increasing the attractiveness of the occupation should be too.

This suite of free, downloadable tools is available in French and English, and can be accessed through this link.

And I encourage you to read this article by our Chief Program Officer, Craig Faucette as he provides more details on how these resources and tools can be used to support the industry in raising the bar in driver training.

I think it goes without saying that attracting and retaining the right people has measurable impacts on our business. When we get it right, we often know early on and can see the benefits for our whole operation. When we get it wrong, the impacts can be strong and long-lasting, and there’s not always a quick fix. It is in these situations when we know we need to do more.

We need to invest.

According to David Irvine – trusted leadership expert and author – creating a culture of belonging can help us do just that.

He says belonging is a fundamental human need; everyone from the smallest child to the highest-powered CEO needs to feel they are noticed, are valued, and that they make a difference.

As leaders, fostering a sense of belonging can have a bigger impact than we may think.

THRC has partnered with David Irvine to deliver a three-part webinar series this fall that is tailored to our sector. The goal of these cost-effective customized sessions is to deliver practical insights and tools that can be used to create a workplace that has greater resilience, clearer purpose, and foster a sense of belonging.

Here is what Irvine has to say about helping people in your organization feel like they belong.

People really don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. Do you know what matters to the people in your organization? Do you care about the people you work with? Do you care about their personal lives?

You can’t fake caring — people can tell when you do. Truly showing you care can improve relationships, communication and productivity, as well as recruitment and retention for your organization.

Every relationship has an ask/tell ratio — the balance of the amount each person talks and listens in any interaction. Assess the ask/tell ratio in your relationships. You can demonstrate investment in your relationships by spending at least twice as much time listening as you do talking.

Ask team members meaningful questions such as, “What do you like about your job? What do you not like about your job? How I can I better support you when you come to work? How can I better support you when you are away from your job?”

Servant leadership is different from pleasing leadership. Instead of trying to make everyone happy by giving them everything they want, serving leadership means clarifying your expectations and committing to give them what they need to be successful.

Your direct reports need to feel that you are working for them, not the other way around. Caring and listening are key components of being a serving leader.

Encouragement means believing in people and doing everything you can to make everyone around you smarter and better. Rather than draining energy, intelligence and capacity by pretending to be the smartest person the room, to be encouraging means sincerely valuing the opinions of others and conveying your confidence in their ability to succeed.

Belonging helps us feel that we make a difference, just because we are here. You can foster that sense of belonging by helping people find their unique talents and contribute to the success of the organization; they will know their unique abilities genuinely contribute and make a difference. When you align the needs and values of a team member with the needs and values of the organization, you’ll never have to motivate them again — and you’ll open the door to loyalty and retention.

Our Leadership webinar series is a unique opportunity to bring leaders (and aspiring leaders) in your team together for cost-effective professional development: three one-hour sessions plus 30 minutes of Q&A (optional) with David Irvine for one group participation fee.

When you register before September 30 for all three sessions, you also get access to a bonus session, Psychological Safety: The One Thing That Changes Everything.

Join us this fall as David Irvine helps us all become better leaders — for our organizations and for our industry. Find out more/register: here

Trucking HR Canada is seeking employers looking to build and enhance welcoming workplaces. Interested employers have an opportunity to work one-on-one with HR professionals and try new THRC-developed, templates, tools and resources.

The sector’s labour challenges will continue to be more acute in the years’ ahead. Employers can help address the shortfall by expanding their talent pipeline to include a wider variety of employees. Our aging workforce means that our workers are at an increased risk of needing accommodations and presenting with additional accessibility challenges.

You will ….

• Be the first to preview new THRC materials and provide your feedback.
• Have access to national HR professionals recognized for expertise in this area, who can help your organization develop/fine-tune and move forward policies, and support implementation.
• Watch as your feedback contributes to the development of cutting-edge tools and resources tailored specifically for the trucking and logistics sector.

This opportunity is open to any employer including small, medium and large fleets, federally regulated employers, provincially regulated employers, and more.

• Open to French and English-speaking participants.
• Commitment over 6 months (July-Dec 2024).
• Up to 8-hours of individualized support from HR professionals.

Spots are limited. Contact us to find out more and apply: [email protected]

If people don’t feel safe to be who they are at work – to make mistakes or ask for help – they are less likely to invest, participate fully, or be their best on the job. To quote Maya Angelou “People won’t remember what you said or did, they will remember how you made them feel.”

As leaders, we can help create the kind of workplace where people feel safe and do their best. And – this is where we can invest.

THRC has partnered with leadership expert and author, David Irvine, to deliver a three-part webinar series this fall that is tailored to our sector. The goal of these cost-effective sessions is to deliver practical insights and tools that can be used right away to create a workplace that has greater resilience, clearer purpose, and renewed courage.

Here is what David Irvine has to say about psychological safety.

Great leaders today know that the key to creating a high-performing company is to inspire trust, engagement, and accountability through psychological safety.

So how do you know if people feel safe? How do you know whether people fully trust you as a leader? How do you know if people are secretly looking for another job because of their relationship with you? David Irvine shares an example he heard from a friend who worked in the oil patch 30 years ago:

“Anyone who has worked on the rigs knows that the typical boss in that world is a brutal, kick a** individual. It isn’t uncommon that the first mistake you make is the last.

But my friend’s boss was, in his words, a “generation ahead of himself.” If you made a mistake, he would carefully go through what happened, discuss your rationale for your actions, and talk about what you learned. Then he would respectfully go through a list of the expectations and how you could make improvements going forward. At the end — and this is what stood out for my friend — he would shake your hand. It was clear that you were trusted, respected, and expected to be accountable.

Every morning, he had the team gather for a 15-20 minute informal coffee. This was a chance to learn something about what was going on in people’s lives away from work, and for him to get to know his team. If guys came in hungover or half-drunk he would respectfully send them on their way.

This leader had an authentic way of creating a safe and respectful place to work — even though he wouldn’t use those words. His approach wasn’t about techniques or gimmicks or management fads. It came from his human goodness. It was his presence not his position.

This man set the benchmark for my friend’s leadership philosophy for his entire career. The impact on his life and his leadership lasted a lifetime. Leaders truly create ripples that extend for generations.”

What can we learn from this story? Basically, it’s that there are many techniques to connect with your team, but creating psychological safety in the workplace begins with being a good person. And that we can all become better leaders by being better people.

Learning to be a better person takes a little bit of work, but it can be done. Once you learn to connect in more meaningful ways, listen, and lead with authenticity, you’ll start demonstrating and inspiring psychological safety for everyone around you.

Our Leadership webinar series is an exceptional opportunity to bring leaders (and aspiring leaders) in your team together for cost-effective professional development: three one-hour sessions for one group participation fee.

When you register before September 30 for all three sessions, you also get access to a bonus session — Psychological Safety – The One Thing That Changes Everything.

Join us this fall as David Irvine helps us all become better leaders — for our organizations and for our industry. Find out more here

The last three years have proven the need for a skilled, engaged, and productive trucking and logistics workforce, and 2024 will be no different. From drivers to warehouse workers, office workers, and more, the close to 800,000 people our sector employs are essential to Canada’s supply chains.

However, hiring new workers and retaining current employees is more challenging than ever. Job interviews are a two-way street. The people you want to hire are looking at you for the right culture and opportunities.

How can you be a better, more attractive employer in 2024? As we roll into the New Year, here are seven things to consider as you navigate the road ahead.

Onboarding and training are expensive, especially in trucking, and can take resources away from efforts to tap into new, less traditional pools of talent.

THRC’s Career ExpressWay program can fill the funding gaps. It provides training grants and wage incentives for recruiting young Canadians, students, and new workers for in-demand occupations in trucking and logistics.

Over 600 employers have participated in Career ExpressWay. The program has successfully brought 5,000 new workers to our sector, including 1,000 post-secondary students. Without Career Expressway, many of these workers would not have considered our industry. Don’t overlook this potential source of funding.

Make this the year you measure your fleet’s human resources policies and practices against established HR standards of excellence.

Our Top Fleet Employers program celebrates trucking and logistics companies for their innovative approaches to recruiting, hiring, training, and managing HR. In 2023, we recognized 93 companies as Top Fleet Employers at our Gala and shared a collection of their best practices in our TFE annual report.

There are many great workplaces out there, and I encourage you to join your colleagues in getting the recognition you deserve. Applications for 2024 are now open. We look forward to meeting new fleets that continue to raise the HR bar and show why this industry is a great place to work.

At a time when operating costs are a top concern, there is no relief in sight for federally regulated employers.

This year brings new requirements for pay equity compliance, workplace harassment and training requirements, and more. Stay tuned, as THRC will again have all the tools and resources you need to keep on track.

The industry still has a long way to go when it comes to encouraging and supporting women, especially female truck drivers, for whom safety and security are big concerns.

If you want a place to start, join us at our Women With Drive event on March 7 at the Westin Toronto Airport Hotel.

What began 10 years ago as a national committee has become a unique annual event. This year’s theme, “Driving a Decade of Change,” celebrates the progress of trucking and logistics employers in supporting women’s professional goals. All are welcome to join the conversation, regardless of gender.

This year, THRC will release our latest LMI (Labour Market Information) research, our most comprehensive labour market analysis in four years.

The LMI is a data-driven, evidence-based report on the industry’s workforce and its needs up to 2030. It uses data from publicly available sources, including Statistics Canada’s census and labour force surveys, and fills in the gaps with qualitative and quantitative research taken directly from employers.

The report facilitates better decisions by employers, workers, job seekers, policymakers, educators, career practitioners, and others. It also provides a foundation for decisions about program funding. At a time when funders are carefully assessing program impacts, our LMI will be even more critical.

Thanks to input from over 55 industry stakeholders (including leading associations), THRC will launch an updated National Occupational Standard (NOS) for commercial vehicle operators in 2024.

The NOS defines the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to become a competent commercial vehicle operator. It informs a consistent, professional approach to driver training, and includes resources employers can use to improve training nationwide.

This is all thanks to funding from the Sectoral Workforce Solutions Program. At a time when the industry is calling on the government to provide more dollars for driver training, the NOS will help shape these investments.

We’d love to see you in person. Visit our booth in Hall 2 at Truck World, April 18-20, at the International Centre in Toronto. Check out the resources we have to offer and meet our staff, who stand ready to help your trucking and logistics business succeed.

We look forward to working with you, supporting you, and meeting you in 2024.