Recruiting Women Essential to Canada’s Transportation and Logistics Industry
FedEx Express Canada Survey Reveals Few Women Explore Career Options in one of Canada’s Most Essential Sectors
Over the past year, Canada’s transportation and logistics industry has had an increased impact on the lives of millions of Canadians. However according to a new survey by Federal Express Canada Corporation (FedEx Express Canada), a subsidiary of FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) and the world’s largest express transportation company, very few professional women see themselves being a part of this sector. Less than one in ten women (eight per cent) stated they considered a career in transportation, logistics, and supply chains an “appealing career choice.”
FedEx Express Canada Women in Transportation Survey (CNW Group/Federal Express Canada Corporation)
The first-ever FedEx Express Canada Women in Transportation and Logistics survey of 1,039 Canadian professional women, conducted by Angus Reid Forum, found that employers in transportation and logistics have much to do to encourage more women to be a part of the industry. Included among the survey findings:
- Nearly half of women (48 per cent) surveyed stated that they would not be open to a career in transportation and logistics.
- Of those, over a third (37 per cent) stated that they did not have enough knowledge of the sector to know if there were professional opportunities that would appeal to them, suggesting that the industry needs to do more to educate prospective women candidates.
- Roughly one third of those surveyed (32 per cent) said they were actively taking steps to advance their career or planned on returning to school.
“Canadians are relying on the transportation and logistics industry more than ever before. Women leaders give our industry greater diversity of thought and provide key perspectives regarding the future of our sector’s performance,” said Lisa Lisson, President of FedEx Express Canada. “I would like to see Canada’s transportation, logistics, and supply chain industry proactively encourage women to explore the exciting opportunities we offer. We truly make a difference in the lives of others.”
The movement of people and goods is among the largest contributors to the Canadian economy and is a critical facet of some of the fastest growing pillars in commerce today. International trade, healthcare, e-commerce, innovation and other exciting fields all rely on a healthy and vibrant transportation and logistics sector. According to Statistics Canadai, almost a million people are employed in transportation and warehousing (NAICS 48 -49). However, of the total number of people employed in this industry, only 22.87 per cent are women.
On a positive note, the FedEx Express Canada survey did find that of those survey respondents would consider a career in transportation and logistics, 33 per cent perceived it to be a stable industry due to continued growth in shipping needs. Further, 13 per cent of respondents who indicated they would consider a career in the industry have seen or read about women leaders who have enjoyed professional success in the sector, representing another motivating factor in their considerations for a career in the industry.
“Like all industries, we need to reflect the customers that we serve. At FedEx, we are in a fortunate position to be able to offer our staff exciting opportunities to work on projects that engage our strengths in innovation, ecommerce, customer service and more,” said Lisson. “As our business continues to evolve to meet an ever-digital world, we are eager to channel our innovative spirit to build the network for what’s next and hope women seeking career advancements see themselves playing a role in this momentum.”
About the FedEx Express Canada Women in Transportation and Logistics Survey.
These are the findings of a FedEx Express Canada survey conducted from February 18 to 22, 2021 with a representative sample of 1,039 online Canadian women between the ages of 18 and 60 who currently work or intend to work in the future and are members of the Angus Reid Forum. The survey was conducted in English and French. The sample frame was balanced and weighted on age, province and education.
