Explaining its motivations for setting up the Asian base, Girteka described the driver shortage as “a rising issue that cannot be easily addressed and solved”.
The company added: “That’s why Girteka is opening its branch in Kazakhstan to attract professional drivers to work in Europe”.
“A shortage of drivers is an issue that became a global one, affecting not only Europe but the entire world. Yet only in Europe, we are missing approximately 400-450 thousand professional drivers. And there is no simple solution to it, as many drivers soon will retire and there is no potential and attractiveness of the job in young generations, yet. I said yet, as I think that Kazakhstan is an example and a beacon of hope, that there is a future for this kind of job and room for professionals to develop,” says Mindaugas Paulauskas, CEO of Girteka Transport, part of Girteka Group.
Girteka has confirmed that the new branch of Girteka Transport situated in Almaty in Kazakhstan will focus on attracting professional drivers to work in Europe for the company.
The Lithuanian company has long been open about its Asian recruitment strategy, and even confirmed today that it now has over 3,000 drivers from Asian countries. When you also consider the drivers Girteka employs from the former Soviet nations that are outside the EU, the size of the logistics operator’s 3rd-country driver workforce is evidently huge.
In its announcement, Girteka added that it is “focusing on making the job itself more and more attractive, and the recruitment process transparent, more efficient, and quicker.”
In comments that could be aimed at allaying fears of low driver standards, Girteka also stressed that quality “would be assured” during the recruitment and driver tests, as well as “later ongoing programs to maintain and upgrade drivers’ skills”.
“Starting from very thorough training during the onboarding process, through constant periodic practical and online training, drivers from Kazakhstan are gaining valuable experience and skills that later on can be used to provide logistics services across Europe,” says Girteka.