last night I got a message that the boss wanted a word before I went out. as this meant going to another site, I thought that it wasn’t going to be good news.
it turns out that they are very pleased with me and wanted to cross a few t’s and dot a few I’s.
he told me that he has my contract done ready for me to sign, subject to an assessment drive.
insurance companies seem to have some very odd ideas. they want me to work for 13 weeks… THEN do an assessment? I understand that I went there last minute to cover for someone else who let them down and there wasn’t time to do it on my first shift, but they want me to do the job for 13 weeks, then do an assessment to see if I’m safe to do the job that I’ve already done for the last 3 months!!!
is it just me, or can anyone else see something wrong with this picture?
when I started here, I mentioned in conversation that I was going to upgrade my licence and it was my boss who pitched the idea of them sponsoring me. perhaps he thought if I did it myself I would go elsewhere? I am more than happy to sign a 2 year retainer. but I had heard a fair bit of negative gossip so I thought I would take the opportunity to clear things up. he had done his homework on my previous jobs and I must have got very good references. bribery pays dividends 
lol
he said he had spoken to the insurance company who were quite willing to accept my previous class 1 experience and insure me to drive their trucks, subject to an assessment drive of course.
as you can probably imagine, at that point my blood ran cold, my heart actually stopped! I think I was clinically dead for 60 seconds!
I could only assume that some sort of mix up had happened. I had completely forgotten the fact we were talking about training and if I had thought for a second I would have realized he was well aware I had not got my license.
years ago when I trained on artics, I was so confident I was going to pass and never even considered the possibility I might not that I jumped the gun and got a job before I had even taken the test. it was much easier to get work back then, nothing like it is now. I was due to start on the Monday following the test. when I fluffed it, I went to work with my tail between my legs expecting to get sent home. the gaffer was quite cool about it though and put me with another guy doing shunting until I could get a retest. even after I fluffed the test for a second time they still kept me on. I stayed there for just over a year.
it would seem that the insurance company consider this experience! insanity!
so I have to do an assessment drive to proove that I can do something I am qualified for and experienced in, yet something I am not qualified for, I am already deemed to have experience in years before I get the qualification■■?
far be it from me to complain, but the world’s gone mad!
