I unfortunately failed my Class 2 test last week and don’t really have the money to go through a resit. I was thinking about maybe gaining my license through the Army if I apply as a reservist that way I don’t pay and can get a C+E licence. The only thing that puts me off is the fitness test. Anyone gained their license this way?
you dont joint the army to just get a licence, its a career you have to really want to invest in, even as a reservist. go in half hearted and it wont end well.
Why not join the army for 5 years get what you want out of it and see the world.I spent 7 years in the army and loved every minute of it.I got what i wanted and got to see some amazing stuff aswell as being in 2 war zones.The advise i will give is think before you jump into it its a big commitment in your life.
There’s no free lunch as the saying goes!!!
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I was expecting this post to be flooded by ‘ex vets’ who killed Bin Laden or took part in the Iranian embassy raid.
adam277:
I was expecting this post to be flooded by ‘ex vets’ who killed Bin Laden or took part in the Iranian embassy raid.
I heard they are plotting something in Singapore.
mrginge:
adam277:
I was expecting this post to be flooded by ‘ex vets’ who killed Bin Laden or took part in the Iranian embassy raid.I heard they are plotting something in Singapore.
Two birds one stone.
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Seems to me the risk of ending up in a war zone and getting shot at/killed even if unlikely as a reserve isn’t worth it just for an hgv licence. Unless you really want to do the other stuff the army will prepare you for.
Why not find a firm bus or lorry that’ll pay for your licence? Do stobarts take drivers through cat C and C+E? I know on the buses national express here in Brum will get you your pcv licence. Get tied to them though.
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IronEddie:
Seems to me the risk of ending up in a war zone and getting shot at/killed even if unlikely as a reserve isn’t worth it just for an hgv licence. Unless you really want to do the other stuff the army will prepare you for.Why not find a firm bus or lorry that’ll pay for your licence? Do stobarts take drivers through cat C and C+E? I know on the buses national express here in Brum will get you your pcv licence. Get tied to them though.
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No they don’t Eddie. They will take money from you for training and then offer you an interview.
In Brum you could go to XPO in Tamworth and they will put you through your class 1. However I really wouldn’t recommend it. For a start the training is shocking and I mean really shocking. One poor sod has failed his class 1 7 times with them - and after the 3rd fail they are charging him £450 a pop for a retest. What’s more you have to do your training in the yard with the blokes who are coming back in watching you practice your reverse. All in a ‘live’ yard - so you might need to stop if a shunter needs to move a unit or someone needs to get on the bay. Hardly ideal conditions.
Finally - you are tied in to frankly crap money for a year or two. Much better to save the grand and then go to someone on here who train you properly and you are then able to chose where to work. Plenty of well paying agency work around the west midlands - and you are in charge of your own destiny.
Unless you join some sort of logistics corps, i.e. Royal Corps of Transport,your main role is Driver, then getting an LGV licence with the army is a bit of a hit and miss affair. Very much a “who you know” kind of thing.
I got my Class 2, and Advanced, because the MT Sgt was my mate. He just said to me one day
“WHat are you up to next week”?
"Usual ■■■■■■ IC puff range for some noobs on Monday, teaching trailer reversing on Tuesday for you, then I´m clear, "
“No, you´re not, you´re on an Advanced Driving Course with me, you get your Class 2 out of it”
“SOunds ok with me Taff, how long is the course, and are we going away”?
“One week, and no, we´re working from here”
“Ok”
One week later I had a Advanced Driver Class 2.
Turns out that all he wanted to do was flex his Q.T.O muscles (Qualified Testing Officer)
But because he was a mate he decided that I fit the bill.
Pros and cons of army driving as a secondary trade.
Pro: You get to sit in the front, in the warm, when all the rest of the mongs are in the back, freezing.
Extra pay. For every trade you get you get extra money. It all adds up, especially if you get a couple of Technical Trades.
You can hang around in the M.T Office gabbing and drinking tea or coffee from the cookhouse.
Duty Driver, once in a while you´ll be the Duty Driver, based in the guardroom, available for any driving duties for a 24 hour period. you sometimes get some really nice rides out, occasionally overnighters. Day off after duty finishes.
Cons: You get to sit in the front with an ■■■■■■■ Officer or a ■■■■ of a SGT who can´t map read and blames you when the going gets tough because “Your a ■■■■■■ Surveyor, YOU should know where we are”!
You can hang around in the M.T Office where they can find you and give you a ■■■■ load of extra work, nothing to do with driving.
You get to be Duty Driver once in a whil. Everybody and their Aunt can find you and give you crap job where you have to load and unload lots of crap. Yep, multi drops too.
My advice is to, if you´re set on getting a licence through the army, go in as a Driver, R.C.T. You will learn properly, not just as a plain old squaddy with a TINY chance of somehow getting that LGV.
If that sounds a bit daunting then for a minimal outlay (Mebbe a new credit card, intersts free for a year, two years) you can easily get your licence(s) and stay as a civvy.
Thanks for all the replies I’ve thought about it a while and doesn’t seem worth it. I think the best option is to find a company that be willing to put me through training but I can’t find any near Aberdeen or anywhere actually.
It is worth it. Joining the army can lead to great opportunities.
If your only interested in getting a Lgv licence though then your right it won’t be worth it for you.
oDillonx2:
I unfortunately failed my Class 2 test last week and don’t really have the money to go through a resit. I was thinking about maybe gaining my license through the Army if I apply as a reservist that way I don’t pay and can get a C+E licence. The only thing that puts me off is the fitness test. Anyone gained their license this way?
i was with my reserve unit 12 years before they put me in for class 2
adam277:
I was expecting this post to be flooded by ‘ex vets’ who killed Bin Laden or took part in the Iranian embassy raid.
We can’t talk about that on here, secrets act and all, but i;ll be in the RDC waiting room just down the road today
Is this a wind up?
So, you paid for the course, and failed it, now you want to join the army for a free retest?
Dude, have a day off. Work some overtime to pay for it, or get a cc, there’s enough about. If your credits crap, use provident or one of the many other siblings.
Try driver hire, they pay for training
If you earn less than £22000 per year you will be able to get help from ILA Scotland. If you do earn less than that then you will be able to claim £200 towards a retest or for anything else that you wish. Check it out or try My world of work, not sure which one is the new name
Cheers Paul
A tip On tests Most failures due to islands I have all three vocational in the bag. Not all came easy. Pick a day and time when the islands likely to be quiet for test School holidays are a must.