Complete Career Change - advice please?

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS THE UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUM (INTERACTIVE)
1

Hi,

After a long few months thinking about moving into the world of HGV driving, I’ve decided to get in touch with a learner instructor.

I’m 28 years old and currently work as an office worker but hate being stuck in front of a computer 9-5 Mon-Fri. I’ve done alright for my self so far, I’ve been promoted a few times, but pay still isn’t great (around £20k) and the work can be very stressful. My only driving experience in terms of work so far is being a drivers mate back when I was 16/17 for a few months.

Driving has always been on the back of my mind as a career, it’s something I’ve always enjoyed, had my my car license since I was 17, 11 years driving with a clean license. My dad is a HGV driver and has been for 35 years, my granddad too - so I think it’s in my blood. Their advice is don’t do it but I know I’d enjoy it a lot more than what I do now.

My question is whether you anyone has any advice on going straight into Cat C/C+E with no other driving qualifications and what the job prospects are like afterwards bearing in mind I’ve got next to no job experience professional driving.

I know the first 2 years will be hard whilst I get the initial experience before I get the better the jobs. Night aren’t for me but I’m prepared to work long hours otherwise. I’m looking forward to getting out there (i.e. out the office) and also not having to stress at home when I finish work like I currently do 24/7. Life is too short so why not do something you enjoy!

Any advice or comments welcome - Cheers!

2

Plenty of drivers on the New and Wannabe Drivers forum seem to find work soon after passing their test/s although the ease of finding work for all drivers is largely dependant on whereabouts in the country they are. In a different way though, driving a truck can get stressful too. But good luck.

3

I’ll give you my opinion…

For what it’s worth.

I can’t recommend getting into this game now. If you’re stressed in the office, just wait until things go wrong and you’re out the road.

In your position with itchy feet, I’d be looking to invest my cash in an electricians course, plastering course or something that will pay you better money for less stress. I’m not saying that any of the industries I’ve just mentioned are a trouble free easy life, they probably aren’t, but you’ll be home most nights and paid better.

4

As previous poster. Spend the money and retrain for something that a machine can’t do. Driving is currently too badly paid. Conditions poor. High percentage of employers are poor.

It’s a shame because the actual job is good. Mostly to earn a decent wage you have to work silly hours. Speaking to another driver working for a company I worked for and we spoke about wages. He said money wasn’t to bad as long as they gave him he hours.

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5

Look to the railway, and try and become a train driver. It’s a long road and you’ll be competing against 1000’s of others, but if you make it the rewards are high.

6

Now retired after being on the road, 1st as mate and then driving,for 50 years take your Dad and Grandads advice DON`T
In most cases depending where you are its long hours because the hourly rate is so poor you need to do the hours to get a decent wage.
Chances of getting a "cream"job as a newbie is pretty slim.

7

Well, if the OP is earning £20k, he should easily be able to increase this to £30k driving a truck so it would only take a few months to recoup the cost of the licence, and if he didn’t like it then he could always go back to doing what he’s doing or something similar.

8

Harry Monk:
Well, if the OP is earning £20k, he should easily be able to increase this to £30k driving a truck so it would only take a few months to recoup the cost of the licence, and if he didn’t like it then he could always go back to doing what he’s doing or something similar.

Theoretically yes, but what I reckon is more likely to happen is the novelty of driving a big wagon & earning a lot more money will last for a fair bit longer than a few months. By the time you get sick of working long hours, getting up at silly o’clock, being poorly treated, realise you have very little in the way of a decent pension scheme or anything to show for your troubles & it’s a dead end; your in the money trap & it’s a ballache getting out. I’m 30 and feel like I have wasted 9 years of my life doing this crap, I cannot wait to get out this driving lark.

It may well be that the OP will find his feet in a proper premium job in the industry & live happily ever after, but I’d say the odds are against him and I would advise the OP to take his dad & grandads advice and stay well away & find a more fruitful career path.

9

rob22888:

Harry Monk:
Well, if the OP is earning £20k, he should easily be able to increase this to £30k driving a truck so it would only take a few months to recoup the cost of the licence, and if he didn’t like it then he could always go back to doing what he’s doing or something similar.

Theoretically yes, but what I reckon is more likely to happen is the novelty of driving a big wagon & earning a lot more money will last for a fair bit longer than a few months. By the time you get sick of working long hours, getting up at silly o’clock, being poorly treated, realise you have very little in the way of a decent pension scheme or anything to show for your troubles & it’s a dead end; your in the money trap & it’s a ballache getting out. I’m 30 and feel like I have wasted 9 years of my life doing this crap, I cannot wait to get out this driving lark.

It may well be that the OP will find his feet in a proper premium job in the industry & live happily ever after, but I’d say the odds are against him and I would advise the OP to take his dad & grandads advice and stay well away.

Well put

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10

I changed from an office job, earning double what I do now, and am happy I did it.

I went straight to class 1 and straight into employment, so that was easy for me.

Older drivers who know how the job used to be will always tell you not to do it. What you’ve got to ask yourself is why you want to do it?

If it’s for the money, you’re going to hate it in short order. If you want to drive trucks for a living, then you’ll like it for an undetermined length of time. Take special note of what was said above about the money trap.

I’m lucky - no kids, no mortgage (yet!), partner with a good job, degree - when I have had enough, I’ve got options immediately.

Do t be scared of change if your life. If you live within your means and have savings, you can try out driving and then move away without fear. What our whole economy wants to do is trap workers with credit and force us to stay stuck in whatever we’re doing. If you’ve got control over your personal finances, you’ll have the freedom of working the job market the right way - leasing your labour to an employer.

11

Think hard, there are plenty other jobs out there that will reward you much better. I drove lorries from when I was 21 until I retired at 58 a few years ago.
Early days were great but the job has changed so much now as have attitudes amongst drivers. The roads are chock o block with every idiot and his son driving like lunatics.

If you do go driving it will be very hard at first, the money will be poor and the work will be crap. In my opinion the really good driving jobs are almost impossible to get these days and when you consider the hours you will have to put in to earn a decent living you are probably better off where you are.

Sorry to be negative but I suggest it’s a bad move. What does your Dad think?

12

slowlane:
I changed from an office job, earning double what I do now, and am happy I did it.

I went straight to class 1 and straight into employment, so that was easy for me.

Older drivers who know how the job used to be will always tell you not to do it. What you’ve got to ask yourself is why you want to do it?

If it’s for the money, you’re going to hate it in short order. If you want to drive trucks for a living, then you’ll like it for an undetermined length of time. Take special note of what was said above about the money trap.

I’m lucky - no kids, no mortgage (yet!), partner with a good job, degree - when I have had enough, I’ve got options immediately.

Do t be scared of change if your life. If you live within your means and have savings, you can try out driving and then move away without fear. What our whole economy wants to do is trap workers with credit and force us to stay stuck in whatever we’re doing. If you’ve got control over your personal finances, you’ll have the freedom of working the job market the right way - leasing your labour to an employer.

I like your style!

The young lads I have on for me seem to enjoy the job. I agree with Harry, 3k may seem like a lot, but if you haven’t recouped that in a few years, there’s something wrong with you. Spend 27k on a rubbish degree and earn the average wage of 26k, or spend 3k and within 2 years ( area dependent), you should earn over 30k.

A lot of it is luck if you can get a decent job that is interesting and pays well, but a chunk of it is down to how you are, how you interact with others. So far you can string a decent sentence together :wink: ; some drivers turn up looking unwashed and with an obvious chip on their shoulder and wonder why they struggle to find a job, when someone with less experience gets on to a good number.

If it’s what you ant to do, do it because you will always wonder otherwise. Worst that happens is that after a few years, you’ve earned your money back and decided it’s not for you and move on. No law says you have to do the same thing for the rest of your life.

Whilst typing, Rick has posted and he’s half right on his penultimate paragraph. It isn’t easy to get a good gig, but it isn’t impossible. I’ve taken on drivers under 25, they are on £41-2k this year, with weeks varying from 40 ish hours to 65+ ferry time, it’s clean work and the customer treats them like part of the team. My van drivers are getting circa 28-30 k. I know we are a bit different to the average firm, but I’m not the only company that does the best they can for their drivers and will take newbies on.

Good luck with whatever you decide OP.

13

Personally I wouldn’t recommend getting into it.I am currently trying to get into train driving.But,as has been mentioned you are competing against thousands for maybe 5-10 positions.

Failing that I would recommend that you look into a part time night course at a college near you.Recently looked into an electrician course, 18 months,part time 6-9pm for just under a grand.

I would suspect some of your mates are builders,so ask them if you can get a bit of experience on the weekends with them or put you in touch with someone in the building game,again to gain some experience on the weekends.

Good luck.

14

albion:

slowlane:
I changed from an office job, earning double what I do now, and am happy I did it.

I went straight to class 1 and straight into employment, so that was easy for me.

Older drivers who know how the job used to be will always tell you not to do it. What you’ve got to ask yourself is why you want to do it?

If it’s for the money, you’re going to hate it in short order. If you want to drive trucks for a living, then you’ll like it for an undetermined length of time. Take special note of what was said above about the money trap.

I’m lucky - no kids, no mortgage (yet!), partner with a good job, degree - when I have had enough, I’ve got options immediately.

Do t be scared of change if your life. If you live within your means and have savings, you can try out driving and then move away without fear. What our whole economy wants to do is trap workers with credit and force us to stay stuck in whatever we’re doing. If you’ve got control over your personal finances, you’ll have the freedom of working the job market the right way - leasing your labour to an employer.

I like your style!

The young lads I have on for me seem to enjoy the job. I agree with Harry, 3k may seem like a lot, but if you haven’t recouped that in a few years, there’s something wrong with you. Spend 27k on a rubbish degree and earn the average wage of 26k, or spend 3k and within 2 years ( area dependent), you should earn over 30k.

A lot of it is luck if you can get a decent job that is interesting and pays well, but a chunk of it is down to how you are, how you interact with others. So far you can string a decent sentence together :wink: ; some drivers turn up looking unwashed and with an obvious chip on their shoulder and wonder why they struggle to find a job, when someone with less experience gets on to a good number.

If it’s what you ant to do, do it because you will always wonder otherwise. Worst that happens is that after a few years, you’ve earned your money back and decided it’s not for you and move on. No law says you have to do the same thing for the rest of your life.

Whilst typing, Rick has posted and he’s half right on his penultimate paragraph. It isn’t easy to get a good gig, but it isn’t impossible. I’ve taken on drivers under 25, they are on £41-2k this year, with weeks varying from 40 ish hours to 65+ ferry time, it’s clean work and the customer treats them like part of the team. My van drivers are getting circa 28-30 k. I know we are a bit different to the average firm, but I’m not the only company that does the best they can for their drivers and will take newbies on.

Good luck with whatever you decide OP.

Rare as hen’s teeth

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15

I did say it wasn’t easy!

16

My tuppence for what it’s worth, as Harry says if you get the better wages you’ll pay off the cost. I used to be a cnc miller and machinist. I took a pay hit to drive for a living but I can honestly say that even my worst day on the road is 5 times better than a good day stuck indoors looking at the same 4 walls with the same people that stress you out. I’m not saying you won’t have stress driving. But I haven’t ever taken it home with me. Day done, keys out, brain onto family time.
Whatever you choose to do good luck.

17

Seen a few people mention the trains, I’m an instructor on the trains, if anyone wants any advice or help pm me.
It’s a good career but it’s gone downhill the last 10 years but it’s still very unionised and the terms and conditions are very good. It is hard to get into though.
I really miss driving road vehicles and if I could find a job that paid similar money I’d consider going back but it’s a lot to give up. Once you join the railway you only normally leave if you’re sacked lol
If you’re set on driving trucks then give it a go.

18

I went straight to class 1 and straight into a job after 20 years in retail with no driving experience. I know its area dependant but there are enough Stobart type companies who will give you a start that there should be 1 near you.

As said you should easily earn enough to repay the training costs that if after a year you don’t like it you can move on. You will always have it as an option to go back to in the future.

Your Dad and the old guys on here will tell you not to do it as the jobs not what it was. I have only been driving 6 months so can’t comment on that but can tell you that after 20 years in retail that that jobs not what it was. I don’t think any job is what it was 20 or 30 years ago. Doesn’t mean its a bad job though…

You will have to decide what you want to do

19

slowlane:
I’m lucky - no kids, no mortgage (yet!), partner with a good job, degree - when I have had enough, I’ve got options immediately.

Do t be scared of change if your life. If you live within your means and have savings, you can try out driving and then move away without fear. What our whole economy wants to do is trap workers with credit and force us to stay stuck in whatever we’re doing. If you’ve got control over your personal finances, you’ll have the freedom of working the job market the right way - leasing your labour to an employer.

You do have it lucky having a partner with a good job, because even with a degree (I have one too) 9 years driving wagons counts for very little should you decide to pursue a degree-type career. You basically have to start all over again & that means a decent short term drop in income.

Your spot on about controlling your finances, young people all the time are jumping into things like car finance & expensive rent/mortgages the minute they start earning a decent income & are entrapping themselves into something they might not even want to do in a few years. Always leave yourself a means of escape!

20

slowlane:
I changed from an office job, earning double what I do now, and am happy I did it.

I went straight to class 1 and straight into employment, so that was easy for me.

Older drivers who know how the job used to be will always tell you not to do it. What you’ve got to ask yourself is why you want to do it?

If it’s for the money, you’re going to hate it in short order. If you want to drive trucks for a living, then you’ll like it for an undetermined length of time. Take special note of what was said above about the money trap.

I’m lucky - no kids, no mortgage (yet!), partner with a good job, degree - when I have had enough, I’ve got options immediately.

Do t be scared of change if your life. If you live within your means and have savings, you can try out driving and then move away without fear. What our whole economy wants to do is trap workers with credit and force us to stay stuck in whatever we’re doing. If you’ve got control over your personal finances, you’ll have the freedom of working the job market the right way - leasing your labour to an employer.

Great advice there! Poor control of finances/buying on credit are the biggest problems most people suffer from. I would just add, pay your mortgage off as quickly as you can then you will be much more freedom in the type of job you can take and the hours of work.