I had an interview elsewhere on Wednesday and didn’t get the job unfortunately. I’ve been invited for a chat on Tuesday with gerrards of swinton. As a new Pass you do two weeks training on tippers, unpaid with the job yours after 2 weeks.
I’ve heard scare stories of people being charged up to £1500 when they leave for “training”.
Anybody any experience with them as I’m not to sure whether to bother or not?
Not sure expecting anyone to work for free on the basis of a “promise” of work is legal? (Let alone moral)
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Unpaid? Don’t touch it.
You will get opportunities. That sounds like they are profiting on people desperation. Says a lot about the firm. Would you really want to work for someone like that?
Sent from my moto e5 play using Tapatalk
Unpaid on your own - forget it = rip off
Comfimed my suspicions guys. Thanks.
Unpaid for a day would be a no for me.Let alone 2 weeks.That’s a ■■■■ take.
Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk
I don’t know this company but as a rule:.
2 weeks unpaid work? No.
Taking money for on the job training when you leave? Surely only legal if that’s written into contract of employment?
Listening to rumours when a phone call could sort out the truth? That’s a “No” too.
Sent from my SM-G361F using Tapatalk
Wow. It is embarrassing to me as a trucker when I read comments like this and people don’t even know what the company do.!! No wonder people think us truckers are stupid. Have you ever used google?
Gerrards pays for you to do your tipper cards and training. This counts as 3 Cpc modules and can take 3 days to 3 weeks depending on experience. (With an average cost of 2k to Gerrards!) not you! After this is complete they give you a job of 100-150 a shift. It is also a fast track into a job if you have had your licence less than 2 years or are under 25because as we all know you can not get insured by a company until then. This means you can.
They also have funded 100’s of people leaving the forces and taken them on as soon as they have passed. They have been in the press for this A lot. I know as I left the army with nothing and they gave me a chance, I did it and have not looked back.? There actual reception is full of thank you letters!
Some dodgy company’s have been sending drivers to gerrards to get trained for free so because of this you may have to pay some of the training money back if this is your plan and the case but as long as you give a months notice they allways wave this.
They get a lot of applicants so if you have not had a response first time keep trying! Best class 2 job in Manchester by far and a professional 200 year company not some fly by night cash in hand tipper firms ripping off people’s tax. Go down and have a look for your self or read the news feeds.
DF40:
Unpaid? Don’t touch it.
You will get opportunities. That sounds like they are profiting on people desperation. Says a lot about the firm. Would you really want to work for someone like that?
Sent from my moto e5 play using Tapatalk
On here giving really bad advice about things you know nothing about. Good company. Great people.
Sjg:
DF40:
Unpaid? Don’t touch it.
You will get opportunities. That sounds like they are profiting on people desperation. Says a lot about the firm. Would you really want to work for someone like that?Sent from my moto e5 play using Tapatalk
On here giving really bad advice about things you know nothing about. Good company. Great people.
Dry your eyes…
& While your there learn how to type in a larger font
Sent from my moto e5 play using Tapatalk
Sj Gerrard by any chance?
Sent from my SM-G903F using Tapatalk
El Deano:
Sj Gerrard by any chance?Sent from my SM-G903F using Tapatalk
Quite possibly…took it all a bit to too personally.
Of course there is always 2 sides to every story… BUT… The OP stated 2 weeks of no pay while you train. That’s what I commented on. Regardless of the training provided or qualifications gained; people need to pay the bills.
" While you are at it, could I borrow one of your children to sweep my chimney? "
Sent from my moto e5 play using Tapatalk
So i came to this forum after searching Gerrards of Swinton, as i applied for a job last week.
Attended interview yesterday, now I’m new pass, I haven’t drove A wagon since passing my test.
I was accepted at interview for the Job, in fact it seemed very easy tbf, they practically sold me the Job in my opinion.
The contract does state that £2000 in training (2 weeks unpaid btw) will become payable if you leave OR ARE TERMINATED, within 12 months of employment.
I rejected the job once i read the contract, as my circumstances just couldn’t take the risk of leaving full time employment, when gerrards would benefit from my dismissal as the training is “in house”.
I work hard in whatever employment I’m in, I’m reliable…i have no reason to screw them over, and understand they are taking a risk employing someone like myself, yet the fact I’m a new driver and probably still expected to meet targets etc…the thought of them finishing me due to lack of experience or along them lines, then hitting me with a 2k bill was enough for me to walk out.
If i was unemployed, and desperate for a wage next month i may of signed…but the risk seemed too great.
Who wants to work for free. 2 weeks will you be in a classroom. If driving how does their insurance work out because legally you are a volunteer.
daftvader:
**Unpaid for a day would be a no for me.**Let alone 2 weeks.That’s a ■■■■ take.Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk
At our place on the tanker side you’re required to come out with one of us for a day to see the roads we drive on and the processes involved. This is unpaid but all you’re doing is sitting there in the passenger seat for the most part, riding around the countryside and chitchatting with the driver.
The majority of drivers seem to turn up their noses at the mere thought of not being paid for their attendance to basically check the job out to see if they like it and can hack it, and so don’t bother to turn up on the day without giving us any prior notification. Those that do turn up are whittled down even further when they see the roads we go down and their arse falls out.
This is fine with us as we run expensive kit and we don’t want new recruits rolling them into ditches on their first day, so it weeds out the motorway heroes. Those few that are left then undergo a week’s on-the-job driving assessments (paid) and if their driving is up to scratch they are offered the job subject to a 3 month probationary period and are given their contract where they’ll discover the hourly rate increases by £2/hr thereafter, making it one of the best payers in the area. This is not mentioned anywhere in the job ad so we don’t get swamped with applications.
I am against unpaid work and ‘attendance’ in general but on the more specialised jobs like eg. tankers, car transporters, plant haulage, it’s not uncommon to be required to “come down and see us” first and go out with a driver to see if you’d be up to the job and a good fit within the company. If you really want the job and want to get into that line of work then showing that you’re willing to go out for a day unpaid (and actually doing it) increases your chances of being offered the job substantially. It’s a small sacrifice to make and in some cases it can unlock doors to other ‘dead mans shoes’ companies once you’ve become experienced and proven yourself. Speculate to accumulate?
Regarding the Swinton job, 2 weeks unpaid work wouldn’t be for me. The excuse that it’s to cover the training modules doesn’t wash with me. Most other companies would pay you as normal and just put a clause in the terms stating that if you leave within a certain period then the costs will be deducted from your pay. I guess the prospective new recruit has to decide how desperate they are for work and look at what other driving roles are available in their area.
I’d be interested to know how they get around the Minimum Wage legislation by not paying you for two weeks while you are training.
Sent from my VOG-L09 using Tapatalk
The training is “free of charge” and was required to begin employment. Although the contract did state you would need to pay the costs back if you left or was terminated within 12 months. You wasn’t technically employed until the end of the training so minimum wage is irrelevant.
Absolutely agree with everything they put in front of me, can see how much of a risk they are taking by giving me or other new starters the opportunity. However i just saw my arse and suddenly realised if i turn out to be ■■■■ I’d be unemployed with a 2k bill before Christmas. So decided to politely turn the offer down. Walked out hoping to god i made the right decision as I’ve invested getting my license and so far had no other luck.
Maybe its best to start smaller then gain the confidence of driving in smaller trucks before jumping into the tippers?? I’ll never know?
Jimmy1020:
The training is “free of charge” and was required to begin employment. Although the contract did state you would need to pay the costs back if you left or was terminated within 12 months. You wasn’t technically employed until the end of the training so minimum wage is irrelevant.Absolutely agree with everything they put in front of me, can see how much of a risk they are taking by giving me or other new starters the opportunity. However i just saw my arse and suddenly realised if i turn out to be [zb] I’d be unemployed with a 2k bill before Christmas. So decided to politely turn the offer down. Walked out hoping to god i made the right decision as I’ve invested getting my license and so far had no other luck.
Maybe its best to start smaller then gain the confidence of driving in smaller trucks before jumping into the tippers?? I’ll never know?
I believe you are ex military. What would your reaction have been had the Army required you to do your basic training with no pay? Would that have been OK as they were “taking a risk” that you might not make the grade?