South Africa’s freight and logistics industry may have a growing number of women in its workforce, but limited visibility into the sector’s career opportunities continues to hold many potential candidates back.

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That is the view of Odette van Zyl, Financial Director and co-owner of Cape Town-based JLOG International, who argues that the industry’s biggest challenge is not a lack of capable women, but a lack of awareness about what a career in logistics can offer.

Women account for about 28% of South Africa’s logistics workforce, yet their representation in senior leadership remains below 25%, according to figures cited by Van Zyl.

She believes the gap begins well before recruitment.

“Women are not necessarily interested in logistics as a career because they don’t know what it is,” Van Zyl said, pointing to limited exposure to the sector and the wide range of roles available within it.

Logistics is more than moving cargo

For many people outside the industry, logistics is still associated primarily with trucks, warehouses and deliveries.

But the sector covers a much broader range of functions, including customs, compliance, finance, project cargo, operations, supply chain planning and vessel coordination.

Van Zyl believes that failing to showcase those opportunities can discourage women from considering logistics as a career.

Her own career illustrates how exposure can change that perception.

She entered the industry unexpectedly as a personal assistant at a small logistics company. After becoming involved in accounting and finance, she gained a broader understanding of how the business operated and eventually built a career in freight finance.

That experience ultimately led her to co-own JLOG International.

For Van Zyl, the lesson is straightforward: employees need opportunities to look beyond the role they initially enter.

Learnerships can open the door

Van Zyl sees learnerships as an important way for logistics companies to introduce young people to the industry.

However, she says businesses need to look beyond simply meeting learner targets.

A successful programme should give participants exposure to the wider organization and allow them to understand how different departments work together.

Someone who enters through finance, for example, could discover an interest in operations, compliance or another area of the business.

“Someone may enter through finance and then realise that she can work in operations or move into a completely different role,” she said.

Van Zyl also believes women should not be discouraged by the operational side of freight.

Her own responsibilities have taken her well beyond the traditional finance environment. At JLOG, she has worked on the ground, including collecting cargo from an airport for delivery to a vessel.

Her message is that women should be willing to step outside their comfort zones and become familiar with the operational realities of the industry.

Talent, not gender, should drive recruitment

Van Zyl argues that increasing female participation should not be about lowering standards or creating artificial advantages.

Instead, companies should focus on finding the strongest candidates and giving everyone an equal opportunity to succeed.

More than half of JLOG’s workforce is made up of women, but Van Zyl says this was not the result of a specific gender-based hiring strategy.

The company focused on finding the right people for its roles.

Her view is that women are not looking for preferential treatment. They want the opportunity to demonstrate their capabilities and build their careers on merit.

Building confidence through education

Van Zyl’s career has also reinforced her belief in continuous learning.

She did not immediately pursue higher education after leaving school but later decided that obtaining a qualification would strengthen her career prospects.

She eventually completed a degree through Unisa in 2014 after receiving a bursary opportunity.

She is now pursuing a second degree, arguing that continued education can strengthen both professional knowledge and confidence.

“If you stop learning, you stagnate and your voice becomes easier to overlook,” she said.

For women entering logistics, she believes confidence is just as important as technical knowledge.

The industry can appear complicated from the outside, but gaining experience across different parts of the business can make those challenges more manageable.

A wider talent pool is an industry advantage

The push for greater female participation in logistics is ultimately about expanding the industry’s access to talent.

As supply chains become more complex, companies need employees who can manage pressure, solve problems, communicate effectively and adapt quickly.

Van Zyl argues that women already possess many of the capabilities required to succeed in the sector. The bigger challenge is ensuring they are aware of the opportunities available.

Change is taking place, particularly among smaller freight businesses, but she believes progress across the broader corporate sector remains too slow.

Her advice to women considering logistics is simple: do not allow the complexity of the industry to become a barrier.

Instead, she encourages women to develop their skills, speak with confidence, take opportunities and be willing to step into unfamiliar areas of the business.

For an industry seeking to strengthen its workforce and leadership pipeline, making those opportunities more visible could be an important first step.