NWH

Can anyone help me with a review on Neil Williams haulage (NWH).

I have been offered a job with them on the academy program they run. But I’m unable to find any real information out about what there really like.

Thanks.

.

So you need to have passed a test already then they’ll start you as an apprentice…that’s big of them considering you have already satisfied a government approved examiner of your capability.

nwhgroup.co.uk/careers/nwh-academy/

Wonder what the fix rate pay is for the first 6 months.

I recall it was £8.36 or near that. Ot for over 40hrs. Living in your tipper 4 or 5 nights. Most of the ones I see in Glasgow were parked up by 5pm. So doubt you will get many extra hours. Think the adds refered to 400-500 take home.
From seeing a few on site they have little experience. Driving forwards in to sites with no space to turn etc. Hope you like orange hiviz. Head to toe at all times, even in Tesco getting your dinner.
That apprenticeship sounds scandalous. Should not be allowed.

All this ‘‘Apprenticship/Academy’’ ■■■■■■■■ in transport today makes me ■■■■ laugh. :laughing: :unamused:
An ‘‘Apprenticeship’’ is something you do to learn a proper TRADE like electronics or engineering or something, not how to drive a ■■■■ truck.
I’m all for proper training in different aspects of the job now, (something I never had, as we were just chucked in the deep end :unamused: ) so thankfully things have improved.
So don’t let’s get carried away it aint an ‘‘Apprenticeship’’ in the true sense of the word,.and a building in a haulage depot does not an ‘‘Academy’’ make.
Just normal ‘‘Up our own arses’’ (Stobart style) ■■■■■■■■ and bullcrap to build their part. :unamused:

The Apprentices are under 25s where NWH have funded their HGV License themselves, and they go through a SVQ qualification. Rather than just driving, they spend time in different parts of the business; Sales, Finance, Transport etc, to give a good understanding of the company overall. A lot of these apprentices are as young as 19 or 20, so there is a lot of training in place for them outwith just being a driver. The actual apprenticeship last for a year.

The Academy Al is referring to, again is where NWH has paid for the HGV License, Tests, Theory etc before then joining the company. They initially join on a slightly reduced pay rate from the full time drivers whilst they are being trained - this is their first HGV job since getting their license.

Everyone is on full time and permanent contracts, and these two options are focused on adding to the long term driver pool or both the company and the area.

The 3rd option that has been highlighted is for those that have less than 2 years experience, all the way down to newly passed drivers. This is scheduled as a 6 month trainee programme, but if drivers are competent, the expectation is that they will be signed off to drive solo after 8-10 weeks, once they have been signed off by a NWH assessor.

Rhys Donaldson.

EdinburghEddie:
The Apprentices are under 25s where NWH have funded their HGV License themselves, and they go through a SVQ qualification. Rather than just driving, they spend time in different parts of the business; Sales, Finance, Transport etc, to give a good understanding of the company overall. A lot of these apprentices are as young as 19 or 20, so there is a lot of training in place for them outwith just being a driver. The actual apprenticeship last for a year.

The Academy Al is referring to, again is where NWH has paid for the HGV License, Tests, Theory etc before then joining the company. They initially join on a slightly reduced pay rate from the full time drivers whilst they are being trained - this is their first HGV job since getting their license.

Everyone is on full time and permanent contracts, and these two options are focused on adding to the long term driver pool or both the company and the area.

The 3rd option that has been highlighted is for those that have less than 2 years experience, all the way down to newly passed drivers. This is scheduled as a 6 month trainee programme, but if drivers are competent, the expectation is that they will be signed off to drive solo after 8-10 weeks, once they have been signed off by a NWH assessor.

Why not introduce yourself on your first post?

Frankly is sounds like a load of tosh to rip off drivers and deprive them of propper wages. Most companies offer training - but they pay you properly for it. Your company should be ashamed of themselves.

sammym:

EdinburghEddie:
The Apprentices are under 25s where NWH have funded their HGV License themselves, and they go through a SVQ qualification. Rather than just driving, they spend time in different parts of the business; Sales, Finance, Transport etc, to give a good understanding of the company overall. A lot of these apprentices are as young as 19 or 20, so there is a lot of training in place for them outwith just being a driver. The actual apprenticeship last for a year.

The Academy Al is referring to, again is where NWH has paid for the HGV License, Tests, Theory etc before then joining the company. They initially join on a slightly reduced pay rate from the full time drivers whilst they are being trained - this is their first HGV job since getting their license.

Everyone is on full time and permanent contracts, and these two options are focused on adding to the long term driver pool or both the company and the area.

The 3rd option that has been highlighted is for those that have less than 2 years experience, all the way down to newly passed drivers. This is scheduled as a 6 month trainee programme, but if drivers are competent, the expectation is that they will be signed off to drive solo after 8-10 weeks, once they have been signed off by a NWH assessor.

Why not introduce yourself on your first post?

Frankly is sounds like a load of tosh to rip off drivers and deprive them of propper wages. Most companies offer training - but they pay you properly for it. Your company should be ashamed of themselves.

Apologies for not introducing myself, I thought my signature would have given this.

Please note, the Apprenticeship & Academy program isn’t just a training scheme, we are putting people through their HGV Test and providing the funding for this.

Both the approaches have proven very successful in adding to our driver pool, and providing a path for people in Edinburgh to enter the industry.

Rhys Donaldson.

EdinburghEddie:
The Academy Al is referring to, again is where NWH has paid for the HGV License, Tests, Theory etc before then joining the company. They initially join on a slightly reduced pay rate from the full time drivers whilst they are being trained

Everyone is on full time and permanent contracts, .

In this scheme you mention, the trainees obtain their LGV licence before joining the firm.

1/ Once they have joined the company after completing their licence, how long is the training you mention?

2/ What is the training during this period - is that on the job driving specific training such as loading and unloading?

3/What is the reduced pay rate they receive during this period?

4/ In addition to receiving a lower rate during their post LGV licence training, are they “bonded” to the company?

Freight Dog:

EdinburghEddie:
The Academy Al is referring to, again is where NWH has paid for the HGV License, Tests, Theory etc before then joining the company. They initially join on a slightly reduced pay rate from the full time drivers whilst they are being trained

Everyone is on full time and permanent contracts, .

In this scheme you mention, the trainees obtain their LGV licence before joining the firm.

1/ Once they have joined the company after completing their licence, how long is the training you mention?

2/ What is the training during this period - is that on the job driving specific training such as loading and unloading?

3/What is the reduced pay rate they receive during this period?

4/ In addition to receiving a lower rate during their post LGV licence training, are they “bonded” to the company?

The apprentices (<25) join the company whilst they obtain their license, complete medicals etc for a period of 4 months spending time in the different departments of the business to develop their overall understanding of the company, and see how the different divisions communicate with each other.

Those academy applicants, gain their license whilst still in their current employment, and once their HGV License is obtain they come onboard.

The apprenticeship lasts for 12 months, the Academy drivers are scheduled for 6 months on a trainee HGV driver basis, where they are regularly assessed, shadow an experienced driver to begin with, and continue to drive alongside an assigned mentor driver until they have been signed off as competent to drive solo - on average this is around 8-12 weeks, but this can be up to the 6 months period. If someone is capable, there is no minimum length of time before they are signed off.

Trainee drivers receive £1 less per hour, but become eligible for our bonus scheme once they are driving solo, and are moved on to the full pay rate upon completing the traineeship.

We run a new intake of apprentice and academy drivers around every four months, if you know anyone in the Edinburgh area that may be interested, please pass on my contact details in my signature below.

Eddie, I applaud anyone who is standing the licence fee, and bringing kids into the industry.

However you are on a hiding to nothing on here.

Too many negative people I’m afraid. Too much them and us on here. If you stick your head above the parapet as someone from the darkside of the counter you will be an easy target.

If all the members that are going to slag off your scheme can come up with one idea for recruiting young drivers into the industry, you will see what you are up against…

Darkside:
Eddie, I applaud anyone who is standing the licence fee, and bringing kids into the industry.

However you are on a hiding to nothing on here.

Too many negative people I’m afraid. Too much them and us on here. If you stick your head above the parapet as someone from the darkside of the counter you will be an easy target.

If all the members that are going to slag off your scheme can come up with one idea for recruiting young drivers into the industry, you will see what you are up against…

If a company pays for a vocational licence, typically they’ll either recoup the cost via wages, or “bond” the person to ensure they stay a while to justify the hassle.

In this case, when NWH are paying for the licence I can see they will recoup their costs via the “up to 6 months” on the job training. 6 months does seem a little extreme for on the job Lgv training (when to use an example an airliner type rating takes typically 4 months :laughing: ) but, that could be a confidence thing. Anyway, say it takes 4 months post LGV training, at £1 less an hour that would at 60 hours a week over 16 weeks equal about £1000. Which is pretty fair.

There are two points I couldn’t make out from Eddie’s response. If the “Academy” students, unlike the apprentices have to self fund their training. If this were the case then the £1 an hour less during the on the job training is less justifiable - there being no LGV licence costs to recover. The other aspect is whether the apprentices are bonded. That equally wouldn’t be as justifiable; if they are additionally paying costs incurred via a reduced pay rate. It’s either one or the other.

Yeah I’ll agree with what someone said. Names like Academy are perhaps a little full on. But foregoing the 2 questions above about self funders being paid less, the apprenticeship thing seems pretty fair on the face of it.

In lieu of having a few thousands disposable a youngster can gain an Lgv licence and essentially pay it back during the first few months of reduced pay and at the same time have their first job. Not a bad option.

How long are they contracted to stay(Without penalty) once the apprenticeship is finished .

Freight Dog:

Darkside:
Eddie, I applaud anyone who is standing the licence fee, and bringing kids into the industry.

However you are on a hiding to nothing on here.

Too many negative people I’m afraid. Too much them and us on here. If you stick your head above the parapet as someone from the darkside of the counter you will be an easy target.

If all the members that are going to slag off your scheme can come up with one idea for recruiting young drivers into the industry, you will see what you are up against…

There are two points I couldn’t make out from Eddie’s response. If the “Academy” students, unlike the apprentices have to self fund their training. If this were the case then the £1 an hour less during the on the job training is less justifiable - there being no LGV licence incurred to recover. The other aspect is whether the apprentices are bonded. That equally wouldn’t be quite as justifiable if they are additionally paying costs incurred via a reduced pay rate. It’s either one or the other.

Yeah I’ll agree with what someone said. Names like Academy are perhaps a little full on. But foregoing the 2 questions I have above about self funders being paid less, the apprenticeship seems pretty fair to me.

In lieu of having a few thousands disposable a youngster can gain an Lgv licence and essentially pay it back during the first few months of reduced pay and at the same time have their first job. Not a bad option.

Evening,

Apologies if i wasnt clear in my response. We run the >25 Academy in two formats. Those we fund their license, which happens every 4 months, and those that already hold their license but don’t have the two years experience we require usually. For the latter, rather than turning them away, we provide an opportunity to come onboard on the same training program we have for those we have funded. Maybe more so in Edinburgh than elsewhere, but there is a real lack of opportunities for inexperienced drivers. For both sets of academy drivers we take on, we are double manning a vehicle until they are signed off, on a vehicle that only requires one man; this is the main factor in the reduced pay rate in the short term.

Rhys Donaldson.

Darkside:
Eddie, I applaud anyone who is standing the licence fee, and bringing kids into the industry.

However you are on a hiding to nothing on here.

Too many negative people I’m afraid. Too much them and us on here. If you stick your head above the parapet as someone from the darkside of the counter you will be an easy target.

If all the members that are going to slag off your scheme can come up with one idea for recruiting young drivers into the industry, you will see what you are up against…

Got to agree about it being a good thing that some companies are paying for young guys to obtain licences and excellent training.
However, I know nothing about NWH, or the guy promoting it on here (btw does that not break forum rules…just saying)
I will say that Eddie in his delivery on all this, comes across as some charitable type guy who is providing a ‘selfless service to the community’. :smiley:

As for being negative, speaking as someone who has been in this game a long time, (with all the cynicism which all that experience has brought about :unamused: ) I usually find that in transport, if something appears just too good to be true…It usually is.

Darkside:
Eddie, I applaud anyone who is standing the licence fee, and bringing kids into the industry.

And a hearty +1 from me. :smiley:

Darkside:
However you are on a hiding to nothing on here.

Too many negative people I’m afraid. Too much them and us on here. If you stick your head above the parapet as someone from the darkside of the counter you will be an easy target.

That’s very true Darkside, but let’s see what the naysayers ACTUALLY have to offer in terms of an alternative.

They’ll need to think on though… the idea must be viable to both the company and the prospective drivers.

Darkside:
If all the members that are going to slag off your scheme can come up with one idea for recruiting young drivers into the industry, you will see what you are up against…

It’s OK for the ‘old hands’ because we came into it in the days when there wasn’t so much regulation, H&S and sheer volume of idiots on the roads.

Given the amount of regulation etc, I for one wouldn’t fancy coming into this industry completely green and at this present time.

I think it’s to be applauded that a company has used some joined-up thinking, then actually gone on to do something positive for newcomers.

It matters that the company makes some money at the same time because training has to be paid for in some way, but it shouldn’t be forgotten that there had to be an initial investment in (to name just a few) premises, equipment, accreditations and insurance, none of which are cheap.

The idea of this training within a ‘live’ working company happening in Scotland (particularly Edinburgh) isn’t new either, it’s just that this one has actually got off the ground.

I doubt that the naysayers could come up with a credible and workable alternative, but there’s plenty of space below. :wink:

robroy:

Darkside:
Eddie, I applaud anyone who is standing the licence fee, and bringing kids into the industry.

However you are on a hiding to nothing on here.

Too many negative people I’m afraid. Too much them and us on here. If you stick your head above the parapet as someone from the darkside of the counter you will be an easy target.

If all the members that are going to slag off your scheme can come up with one idea for recruiting young drivers into the industry, you will see what you are up against…

Got to agree about it being a good thing that some companies are paying for young guys to obtain licences and excellent training.
However, I know nothing about NWH, or the guy promoting it on here (btw does that not break forum rules…just saying)
I will say that Eddie in his delivery on all this, comes across as some charitable type guy who is providing a ‘selfless service to the community’. :smiley:

As for being negative, speaking as someone who has been in this game a long time, (with all the cynicism which all that experience has brought about :unamused: ) I usually find that in transport, if something appears just too good to be true…It usually is.

Well you know, it’s kind of a given that firms don’t do things for the hell of it :laughing: . They are businesses. I agree, I think thats best if thats cleared up from the off.

Take flying. The insane costs of training are a massive barrier. There used to be cadet schemes that offered a leg up. Really hard to get one, for obvious reasons! The way it worked was you’d join a firm with minimal experience and work your backside off whilst the firm paid for the training. You then typically were bonded for 4-5 years to the company and paid less for the first few years. The firm got people molded the way they wanted and also made a saving as the costs incurred were less than the benefits reaped by the bond and pay scale. It was pretty transparent and everyone was happy. It essentially was like taking a bank loan that came with a job. Far better than Barclays and no one would take your house off you if you failed the course.

I spent years working in factories, driving and finding it hopeless to get the money together to get a start. Luckily I was given a start on an apprenticeship type scheme after 8 years of trying and trying.

Then it went wrong. Schemes like that are all but done now. A bright spark realised you could not only not pay for the training, but you could charge for the pleasure of training people, training them on the job and charge them for the work uniform and they’d still come flocking! It’s all colossal bank loans and kids with well off middle class parents now. Guess which outfit that was :laughing: ?

Its good there’s options for a youngster wanting a start.

dieseldave:

Darkside:
Eddie, I applaud anyone who is standing the licence fee, and bringing kids into the industry.

And a hearty +1 from me. :smiley:

Darkside:
However you are on a hiding to nothing on here.

Too many negative people I’m afraid. Too much them and us on here. If you stick your head above the parapet as someone from the darkside of the counter you will be an easy target.

That’s very true Darkside, but let’s see what the naysayers ACTUALLY have to offer in terms of an alternative.

They’ll need to think on though… the idea must be viable to both the company and the prospective drivers.

Darkside:
If all the members that are going to slag off your scheme can come up with one idea for recruiting young drivers into the industry, you will see what you are up against…

It’s OK for the ‘old hands’ because we came into it in the days when there wasn’t so much regulation, H&S and sheer volume of idiots on the roads.

Given the amount of regulation etc, I for one wouldn’t fancy coming into this industry completely green and at this present time.

I think it’s to be applauded that a company has used some joined-up thinking, then actually gone on to do something positive for newcomers.

It matters that the company makes some money at the same time because training has to be paid for in some way, but it shouldn’t be forgotten that there had to be an initial investment in (to name just a few) premises, equipment, accreditations and insurance, none of which are cheap.

The idea of this training within a ‘live’ working company happening in Scotland (particularly Edinburgh) isn’t new either, it’s just that this one has actually got off the ground.

I doubt that the naysayers could come up with a credible and workable alternative, but there’s plenty of space below. :wink:

Maybe it’s just me Dave :smiley: ,.as I said ‘‘If something appears…etc etc’’
Being a natural cynic, I always tend to look for real pictures and hidden agendas in this job,.rather than take stuff on face value,.and it has always worked for me.to date.
You know yourself being a fellow ‘old hand’ that this industry and the people who run it, rarely (if ever) do you any favours without some sting in the tail and/or a good kick in the ■■■■■■■■.
If I’m wrong,.and this scheme is genuine and 100% beneficial to new drivers, I’ll be the first to take my comments back.
Maybe I’ve done this job too long eh? :laughing:

Got to admire you Eddie for sticking your head above the parapet but if I were you I 'd just leave it now, you’ll be in for a ■■■■ storm of abuse within a couple of pages! If you gave some of the clowns, sorry “drivers” on here a solid gold bar every week as wages they’d complain it was too heavy