hgvhgv:
I’m in the same boat mate. 26 yo, clean license, cpc, class2, every [zb] is saying I need 2 years experince. Bit of a joke after paying out the £3k for a license!
No offense but a little research into the industry and you would soon realize this would be the case 
Not asking for a miricale just a chance!
hgvhgv:
Not asking for a miricale just a chance!
I know the feeling buddy I’m still going through the same thing to get a Class 1 start myself. 
Yeah its sure not easy is it, how old are you if you dont mind me asking? And when did you pass?
I am in the same boat as you , i have been out of work for 6 months also, i went for an assessment with stobart last friday which i passed . I sent a speculative C.V to them at christmas, i have zero class 1 experience,they called me up today and offered me a job their, now as luck would have it another firm i applied for a couple of months ago also called me up for a 3 day unpaid trial with a mentor driver tomorrow, not that keen working for free if am honest but it is a lot nearer with a better rate apparently and i shall attempt to play them off against each other 
, i passed their tacho quiz and initial 20 min assessment previously,this company has a policy of not taking on newbies, they are an international freight forwarder running all over Europe and North Africa and they are bombed out with work.
I basically pleaded my case with the ops manager a true gent he was too, that nobody gives me a chance, so it seems he has taken that on board. I have been on the emotional roller coaster of despondency, anger and sheer apathy on some days applied for well over 50 jobs including the 7.5 ton furniture assembly caper, van work anything in fact, just do not discriminate and apply for everything you are qualified for.
I’m 18, i’m in a class 2 job just now, I passed my class 2 in Dec 11 and Class 1 Apr 12.
I got very angry but after getting a start on Class 2 i can most definitely see why employers want experience.
I do feel empathy for you lads but this “two years experience” thing was a common gripe in the letters pages of Truck and Driver, long before the internet had ever been thought of, as far back as the mid 1980s and probably long before that.
During times of plenty, employers are more desperate to fill vacancies and will take a chance on a newly qualified driver but in times of recession they are less willing to take on the additional insurance risk.
The only cheery note I can bring is to say that this is my third recession and I learned a lot from the previous two. It may seem now as though it will never end but it will, and then there will be far more opportunities to earn. Until then, just keep plugging away, something always turns up in the end and usually when you least expect it.
Is it only in the UK or could I hop an island or two and get a job just like that?
Things are bad all across Europe and even worse in Italy, Spain etc. Relocating within the UK might increase your chances, depending where you are now.
Currently near Guildford Surrey…
hgvhgv:
Currently near Guildford Surrey…
Have you looked for work around Heathrow Airport? There’s a lot of work in that local area.
Harry Monk:
hgvhgv:
Currently near Guildford Surrey…Have you looked for work around Heathrow Airport? There’s a lot of work in that local area.
Not a bad shout will look into that. Trouble is being a bum I cant afford to run a car right now, but I shall have a look anyways thanks.
There’s plenty of firms in that part of the world who will send you away for a week tramping. If you only go to work once a week and come back once a week then it’s perfectly doable to go on public transport with a sleeping bag and a holdall.
I would also look in Basingstoke as there’s a fair bit of industry there. You won’t find much in Guildford, there’s no manufacturing there at all to speak of.
Just a thought…have you considered contract work abroad. I worked out in the middle east and Germany as a mechanic but the company I worked for also employed drivers. http://www.labourdesk.com/map.html I know that they are taking c+e drivers in Kuwait at the moment, just click on the map for details. May be worth a shot, if you don’t mind being away from the UK that is, the pay is fantastic by the way.
Thanks for that will be sure to look into those doing my c+e in a month In the mean time I will take a trip to basingstoke many thanks
hgvhgv:
This is the attitude we have to put up with. Its all right for you older people, sitting in your houses with a full time job, whilst us youngsters have to fork out £3000 to get a license, go through all the cpc, and then get told to [zb] off!
I have been out of work for 6 months now, forked out the last bit of my savings to get this, and I actually WANT TO WORK, I want to get on with my life instead of being a bum. If no new blood comes into the industry then say hello to more of your hard earned taxes being spent on people claiming benifits and funding the foriegners who will be “shipped” here to take out jobs and lower the wages even more.
As I mentioned earlier I had exactly the same experience when I was your age! Perhaps you should read my posts more carefully before getting the erse ache? We’re telling you how it is not how you’d like it to be.
Sorry this ■■■■ is just starting to get on top of me. How did you manage to get a start after passing?
hgvhgv:
Sorry this [zb] is just starting to get on top of me. How did you manage to get a start after passing?
Being in the right place at the right time! There are firms who will give you a start. When you contact companies who say they’ve got no vacancies make sure you ask them if they’ll consider newbies at all. Compile a list of those companies and make contact with them on a regular basis,get the name of the fella who hires and fires. You want to be talking to the organ grinder not the monkey! Every day add a new name to that list and don’t stop until you get a start. When you’ve spoken to the same fella for the third time just say “It’s me again!” and try and get a little conversation going. Think what you’re going to say before ringing them and sound upbeat but not crazy! Go round and see them taking all your working gear with you just in case. Take any work you can find in the meantime. Persistance pays.
Yep, go to see as many firms as possible, in person, just call into the yard and ask them. If they haven’t got anything leave them your contact details- print up a dozen or so fliers with your name, contact phone number on them before you go- and then wait for the day when one of them is a driver short and they will phone you. It might take a few weeks, or even months, but the more people who have your details the sooner the call will come through.
But like I said, essential to actually go around these places rather than phoning or even worse, emailing. Email most of them will just ignore, and a phone call is little better. By calling in, you have essentially granted yourself an interview. Set aside a day and get a mate to run you around, stop anywhere you see a haulage yard or a truck parked up.
One way I found useful, was to use the VOSA search as below:
http://www.tan.gov.uk/tanen/vosa_anonymousoperatorsearch_new.asp
You can find out what valid O-licences there are in any particular area, which gives you an idea of who to target - if you’re only interested in artic work for example, you can only target those with trailers on the O-licence etc.
Hope this helps
Gary