Business

Women in Logistics: Why the Industry Needs More Women

Women in Logistics

Many people are unaware of the importance of the logistics and shipping industry, even though it’s vital to the way that we live. Without logistics and transportation companies, we would have a very difficult time trading everyday items that we may take for granted, not to mention all the other luxury items that we purchase from foreign countries. However, the industry is lacking in certain areas, namely the number of women involved with logistics and shipping. Although this is beginning to change with a higher percentage of women taking jobs within this sector, there is still a push for more women to get involved. Learn more about shipping and logistics to discover how women can help shape the industry in new and exciting ways–from implementing new ideas like eco-friendly packaging to helping more women move into managerial roles.

Why Aren’t More Women in the Logistics Industry?

Traditionally Male-Dominated

Since the origin of shipping and logistics, the industry has been male-dominated, partially because women faced discrimination around acquiring certain jobs in the past and partially because the industry is thought to be a labor-intensive work environment. Although some jobs within this sector do involve a lot of manual labor and physical strength, many jobs do not. There are plenty of opportunities for women to get involved with shipping and logistics and use their own unique set of skills to shape the industry and help it move into the future. As of 2018, less than 40 percent of higher-level supply chain jobs were held by women even though they made up nearly 47 percent of the workforce. When it comes to the shipping industry, a mere one to two percent of global seafarers are women.

Streamlined into Specific Career Paths

Although we’ve come a long way over the last several decades in terms of gender-assigned jobs, logistics, and shipping are often industries that are not mentioned to young girls when they are considering career paths. In fact, most young people, in general, are unaware of the industry and the opportunities within it. However, women represent a much smaller percentage when it comes to learning about logistics and shipping jobs because they are often educated and led toward different career options such as nursing, teaching, or other caretaker-like positions. Of course, this isn’t always the case, but with more awareness about the industry and what it’s like to be a part of it, more women may want to give these types of jobs a try.

Not a Glamorized Job

When both men and women consider what kind of career they want to explore, they tend to imagine a job that they admire or think would offer some type of status or respect. For both genders, but more so women, the idea of working on a cargo ship or within the logistics industry isn’t necessarily an ideal career path even if they have little to no information about what the jobs are actually like–another issue that could be solved with greater awareness. Although shipping and logistics may not sound glamorous, the pay is often above average and offers women unique opportunities to pave the way for others.

Why the Industry Needs More Women?

Help Protect Women’s Interests

Because the industry is male-centric, some companies do not offer the types of benefits that are important to women, like maternity leave or healthcare coverage. While some logistics and shipping companies have improved these offerings in the last decade or so, others have not. This isn’t necessarily an inherently discriminatory issue, but rather some companies do not even think about offering these types of benefits because it is run by mostly men who are not affected by the lack of certain benefits. As more women enter the industry and work their way to higher-level jobs, they can speak on behalf of other women within the sector who need someone to look out for their best interests.

Diversify the Industry

Regardless of gender, race, or ethnicity, the logistics and shipping industry needs more diversity across the board. With any industry or company, having a diverse set of people working in the same space helps with innovation and motivation. More women in shipping and logistics can help bring new ideas to the table and make the process more efficient and modern. People of different backgrounds, genders, and ages have different experiences and skills that can greatly contribute to the success of one company or even an entire industry. This is one reason why we need to encourage more women and minorities to take advantage of these opportunities and help change the industry for the better. Not only does there need to be a bigger push for women and minorities in the shipping and logistics industry, but they also needs to be a focus on promoting these same people to higher-level positions, giving them more power and ability to bring real change.

Help the Industry Move into the Future

The shipping industry is one centered around tradition, which is part of the reason why it continues to be a male-dominated space. Many of the laws and regulations that rule the shipping industry are very old, making the traditional values of the workers within the industry a typical part of shipping. However, as more young people and women of all ages enter this workforce, there will be more of a need for change updates to legislation that affects the industry, new ideas, and methods like the normalization of women in the shipping and logistics industry. Although more women are becoming involved, it is still often thought of as an unusual position for a woman, which puts a larger focus on women within the industry and additional pressure. If we can normalize females in these types of workspaces, it will attract more women and improve the industry overall.

Be the Change You Want to See in the World

If you’re a woman who is interested in working in the logistics or shipping industry but you’re not sure how you can be a part of the change. There are dozens of great opportunities out there in many different forms–from becoming a seafarer on a cargo ship to working as an account executive with a logistics company. All you need to do is take the first step. Study at a school that will help you get a job in one of these industries and put your all into it. We know you’ll make a great addition to the field.

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