Santa:
I went from driver to management. The own-account company I drove for moved from London to Birmingham and I moved with them, but not as a driver. They offered me a job in the Export Office (maybe my 5 ‘O’ levels helped) and after a couple of years doing that, there was a crisis in the transport department and I was put forward to sort it out.
Ten years later, the firm went bust (not my fault - honest) and after a spell in the office of a car delivery company (horrible place) I moved to the NHS in a newly created post as a TM.
If I had not had a fairly good education (and certificates to prove it) and a good deal of luck, none of this would have happened.
Not trying to boast (cos it’s nowt to boast about) nor top trump you mate, …but I came out of school with 9, and I did A level courses at tech while doing an apprenticeship.
Did they ever do me any good in my life■■?
Did they ■■■■.
On the other hand me and my two lads had constant rows, about them ■■■■■■■ about at school, they both came away with nothing, to my disgust.
However one is now a qualified car spray painter, the other one is a Ford service manager, and is on the top 10 list of Ford Advanced technicians by the Ford academy, in the country.
Both are on far much more money than me btw…
Santa:
I went from driver to management. The own-account company I drove for moved from London to Birmingham and I moved with them, but not as a driver. They offered me a job in the Export Office (maybe my 5 ‘O’ levels helped) and after a couple of years doing that, there was a crisis in the transport department and I was put forward to sort it out.
Ten years later, the firm went bust (not my fault - honest) and after a spell in the office of a car delivery company (horrible place) I moved to the NHS in a newly created post as a TM.
If I had not had a fairly good education (and certificates to prove it) and a good deal of luck, none of this would have happened.
Not trying to boast (cos it’s nowt to boast about) nor top trump you mate, …but I came out of school with 9, and I did A level courses at tech while doing an apprenticeship.
Did they ever do me any good in my life■■?
Did they [zb].
On the other hand me and my two lads had constant rows, about them ■■■■■■■ about at school, they both came away with nothing, to my disgust.
However one is now a qualified car spray painter, the other one is a Ford service manager, and is on the top 10 list of Ford Advanced technicians by the Ford academy, in the country.
Both are on far much more money than me btw…
So imo school qualifications are meaningless.
Agree about qualifications being meaningless. In my opinion, they bear no relevance once you start gaining work experience and proving yourself in a professional environment. The only real exception would be university degrees, but only if they are relevant to the position someone applies for, not some of the pointless ones on offer these days
CookieMonster:
Agree about qualifications being meaningless. In my opinion, they bear no relevance once you start gaining work experience and proving yourself in a professional environment. The only real exception would be university degrees, but only if they are relevant to the position someone applies for, not some of the pointless ones on offer these days
Apparently you can get…
A degree in Klingon.
Which is about as much use as a hedge trimmer to an Eskimo.
Realistically a move to the office would probably involve being an office flunky for a time at least. Worse pay than you are on and having to dole out the infringements etc. Trying to deal with the runs, the complaints, unhappy drivers etc. I suppose at least you might get away home at a set time though.
In my experience the flunkies have a bit of a chip on their shoulder about what the drivers get paid. There is an attitude in this country that better qualifications should always equal better pay and also looking down at workers perceived to be inferior. People begin to think of themselves as white collar if they are in the office and the drivers as blue collar. These attitudes are so outdated now.
I have seen direct recruits without transport experience and I have seen people converting from the warehouse to the office. The results that these appointments bring are not particularly impressive, at least from the drivers’ perspective. Having said that, drivers converting to the office can see the power going to their heads as well.
Like has been said there are drivers with good qualifications and plenty with none that know more. There are graduates with poor social skills and very little common sense, but who could tell you how to split the atom or could write a fabulous critique of any Shakespeare play you could imagine. There are those that could turn their hand to anything they wanted to. It is all a big mixing pot.
I knew three drivers at my last company that became managers. First driver went through a safety managers course and became safety manager for less money and became a bit of a prick but left after a while. Second driver went through the test and became our safety manager for less money and became a right prick and he’s still there. Third driver went through training and went into the office as a manager, again for less money but after a while he left, he said in confidence he hated it.
The real mangers, the ones that have worked in an office from the start and worked their way up didn’t see him as one of their own. Although we’re portrayed as one big happy family there is still management on one side and workers (drivers) on the other and he was still perceived as a driver by them. But then again I might be a little paranoid.
“Just when you see blokes get a chance of progress who you have seen to refuse jobs and be an all round awkward employee and Iv always tried to help out be flexible etc it wrangles a bit.”
I think you’ve just answered the question for yourself YT a “flexible,helpful” driver behind the wheel is a Transport firm/planners dream. Cheers Coxer .
.