Am I too young to get work?

[trucker12345]

Hi all,

I’m currently thinking about getting a class c licence. I’m currently in Canada having a year off uni, working and travelling about a bit, absolutely loving it out here being an hour from the Rockies. I’m set to return to the UK in November, so I’d like to go for my class c license then.

Im 2 years into a uni course (civil engineering) but I don’t have a great passion for it, I’m thinking of having another year break from it, and see how I like hgv driving.

I’ve had the idea of being a hgv driver for a few years now, I wanted to do it from when I was 18 but I was told that I should leave it for a few years as I was too young to get employed. I’m now 24. If I was to get a licence would I struggle to get work? I know a lot of companies ask for experience so I know I’d be going through an agency to find work. The only driving experience I have is driving 3.5ton vans around the Cardiff/London area over the last few years as a summer job, which I’ve enjoyed doing.

Any advice would be appreciated, Oliver

[Peter Smythe]

Assuming the licence can be sorted, I have to be honest and say that very young new drivers will often struggle to get a start unless you have contacts. But it can and does happen. At 24 though, the situation eases a bit so it could be worth a try.

If I can assist in any way, let me know.

Pete

[Noremac]

It would be a useful thing to have no doubt and it could open up opportunities if you don't end up doing anything to do with what you are studying. At the end of the day there will be lots of candidates going for jobs and some of them don't get the gig, which is a harsh reality. Having a back-up plan that you actually think you might prefer anyway isn't such a bad idea. You could spend several thousand pounds on a year-out or something like lots of people do and end up a year down the line and being no further forward. Developing yourself with another employable skill is always good and there is nothing saying you would have to stay on the road forever.

[trucker12345]

Assuming the licence can be sorted, I have to be honest and say that very young new drivers will often struggle to get a start unless you have contacts. But it can and does happen. At 24 though, the situation eases a bit so it could be worth a try.

If I can assist in any way, let me know.

Pete

Hi Pete,

Thank you for the information. I've just been looking at your website, lots of helpful information on there.

Thanks, Oliver

[trucker12345]

It would be a useful thing to have no doubt and it could open up opportunities if you don't end up doing anything to do with what you are studying. At the end of the day there will be lots of candidates going for jobs and some of them don't get the gig, which is a harsh reality. Having a back-up plan that you actually think you might prefer anyway isn't such a bad idea. You could spend several thousand pounds on a year-out or something like lots of people do and end up a year down the line and being no further forward. Developing yourself with another employable skill is always good and there is nothing saying you would have to stay on the road forever.

Ye I guess I should give it a go and if I don't like I'll go back to uni.
I already have the money put aside so I might as well spend it on an employable skill rather than what I've been doing over the last few years wasting money on cars haha. Thanks for the advice mate

[Reef]

There's a 24yr old at my place, he's been with us 2yrs and did a yr on agency before that, tbh he's a better driver than a lot of the 20-30yr veterans we've got.

[carlston49]

Finish your civil engineering degree. Even if you don't do that line of work, it might enable you to get a work visa for English speaking countries such as Australia/New Zealand/Canada, etc. At 24 y.o. you have probably got well over 40 working years ahead of you. In that time the UK/Europe work situation could go belly up. It's always best to give yourself options.

[StormST]

I got my Class C at 23, did my cpc and 3 days later had a job. You're probs gonna get the [zb] low paid jobs but it's a foot in the door until you're 25/2 yrs experience.

I'm 28 so I doubt much has changed in the 5 years.

[trucker12345]

Finish your civil engineering degree. Even if you don't do that line of work, it might enable you to get a work visa for English speaking countries such as Australia/New Zealand/Canada, etc. At 24 y.o. you have probably got well over 40 working years ahead of you. In that time the UK/Europe work situation could go belly up. It's always best to give yourself options.

That's what I'd ideally like to do,but I struggled with year 2, and that now I don't feel a passion for the subject I feel I'm going to really struggle with year 3. I have until September to commit to uni next year or to have another year break from it, the latter is what I'm leaning towards at the moment. In the year then I can get my hgv 2 licence and have a good think what I want to do.

[trucker12345]

I got my Class C at 23, did my cpc and 3 days later had a job. You're probs gonna get the [zb] low paid jobs but it's a foot in the door until you're 25/2 yrs experience.

I'm 28 so I doubt much has changed in the 5 years.

That's pretty good! Ye I'd only want a bit over minimum wage for the first couple years, the experience would be the important thing.

[manicpb]

I'm 40 later this year so out of date however, I dropped out of 2 higher education courses before taking the steps to full time employment (if you'd have asked tutors I was capable of university level, but I never did so we'll never know).
If you could push and get the degree it would undoubtedly be the best route for the future but if you don't want the pressure of a high flying job, lgv driving is as good as any job. Long hours to get the cash you could achieve with a degree but despite what many wright on here once your out the yard you are your own manager. Job needs to be done but if you play it right (and get the right job) you can grab an hour or two's kip on a bed during your shift whereas the degree level manager will be hiding from his inferiors who want the answers to endless questions.

Tough call mate, good luck!

[SJB]

There's a few jobs where youth benefits you. If you're young but also fit then places where lots of handball is required will often give you a start. It might be hard work... sometimes the money's not great, but it certainly can be.
If you think that the average age of a trucker in the UK is 53 (apparently)... not all of them can or want to break their back doing the heavy work. I've met some very fit and strong 60+ year olds doing that kind of work don't get me wrong... but they have been doing it all their lives. I'm going to say that once you've had your licence a while (for insurance purposes at many places) your chance of getting a job is pretty high if you don't mind a bit of handball, and you're not so young that you would be automatically overlooked for some other work.

I did a degree in a subject that I was good at, but didn't really enjoy (computer science). I have never used it. That said, if you're only a year away from completing it and it's a pretty good degree, you've invested a lot of money presumably... if it looks like you can get a decent grade at the end of it then I would complete it myself and do the HGV training too.

[carryfast-yeti]

There's a 24yr old at my place, he's been with us 2yrs and did a yr on agency before that, tbh he's a better driver than a lot of the 20-30yr veterans we've got.

20-30yr veterans??? they're newbies!

[ukjamesuk]

you can speak and read English a major advantage over many drivers. My 18 year old son has been has had no problem finding class 2 work.