Italy's logistics sector faces a shortage of 60,000 professionals
Italy's logistics and supply chain industry is short an estimated 60,000 skilled workers as recruitment struggles to keep pace with demand.
Italy's logistics and supply chain industry is short an estimated 60,000 professional workers, according to figures reported by Italian financial daily Il Sole 24 Ore. The gap between the number of qualified candidates and the roles that operators are trying to fill has widened sharply, raising concerns about the sector's capacity to keep up with rising demand for freight, warehousing, and last-mile services.
Where the shortfall is most felt
The shortage spans multiple functions, including freight planning, warehouse operations, customs and compliance, and transportation management. Analysts point to a combination of demographic change, relatively low awareness of logistics careers among young people, and limited specialised training programmes as factors behind the persistent gap. Smaller and mid-sized operators in particular have reported difficulty recruiting drivers, warehouse supervisors, and supply chain analysts.
Industry and policy response
Logistics associations have called for closer cooperation between companies, vocational schools, and universities to expand training pathways, including apprenticeship schemes and short-course certifications aimed at upskilling workers from adjacent sectors. They have also urged tax incentives and faster recognition of foreign qualifications to ease entry for international candidates.
The 60,000 figure underscores a structural challenge that goes beyond any single company. As e-commerce volumes grow and supply chains become more digitised, the sector's ability to invest in talent development is likely to shape its competitiveness in the coming years.
- Estimated shortfall: around 60,000 logistics professionals across functions.
- Hardest-hit roles: drivers, warehouse supervisors, freight planners, customs specialists.
- Proposed remedies: expanded vocational training, apprenticeships, incentives, and recognition of foreign qualifications.
For broader context on European freight and supply chain developments, see the CMA CGM agreement to acquire a FedEx logistics unit, and for a wider view of recent sector movements, the weekly supply chain and logistics roundup.