Like the title says, this time last year I was working in a factory. So to all newbies I say it is possible. If it’s what you really want to do, then go for it!
I started in this^,and now driving this 
Congrats!! Making wanna go for more C+E more.
Sounds like I’m in the same boat that you were, working a factory job; looking to get into lorry driving. Right now I’m working as a CNC machine operator, what were you doing? I doubt I’ll make class 1 in 9 months though, not saying it’s impossible obviously but financial constraints and possibility of redundancy later this year, I’ll be happy enough getting onto class 2 to start with.
ill swap you my class 1 licence for your 8 till 5 factory job any day 
Baldy91:
ill swap you my class 1 licence for your 8 till 5 factory job any day
Done!
PS It’s 20:00 to 06:15
Thanks Adam, yeah go for it mate. Then you’ve got the license for life 
Littlecar, I worked in a hollowcore concrete factory mate, on the production line. Money was good but back breaking work and I lost weight coz we had no set break times. You basically had a bite of sandwich as you were working. So this time last year I got cat C, C.P.C, and theory tests booked through a training company. Passed in May and left the factory job. Got offered a driving job and had to start on a 7.5t for a bit, and the rest is history
Baldy91:
ill swap you my class 1 licence for your 8 till 5 factory job any day
Beware baldy, the grass ain’t greener and all that lol! 
Littlecar will tell you
The grass is definitely withering on this side. On one hand the money can be good but you lose your job the second it goes quiet or your trial period is up, on the other it’s minimum wage or close to it now.
Our factory has 57% less staff now than 3 years ago running at around 30% total capacity. We recently quoted a contract for circa £11k per batch, our costs to produce were around £8.5k and India quoted £3.2k. There’s just no way to compete! Even with the high defect rate that places like India and China usually produce, they’re still a substantial amount cheaper.
I had better stop there before I really start ranting.
I’d be happy even in a 7.5t for a start
I was made redundant in July last year, passed Class 2 before being made redundant and passed Class 1 shortly afterwards, I started driving Class 1 at the end of September having served a short 23 shift apprenticeship on Class 2…And it felt like things where progressing really slowly at the time, especially so the wait for the Class 1 retest, having failed at the first attempt the wait for the re-test seemed to take forever although it was in fact only 5 weeks.
I’m with Dan Bear go for it !!
LittleCar:
Our factory has 57% less staff now than 3 years ago running at around 30% total capacity. We recently quoted a contract for circa £11k per batch, our costs to produce were around £8.5k and India quoted £3.2k. There’s just no way to compete! Even with the high defect rate that places like India and China usually produce, they’re still a substantial amount cheaper.
I used to be a CNC Programmer. Mostly on Fanuc systems but have some Mazatrol and Siemens experience too.
One place I worked at started getting certain components manufactured in China. They would get the Chinese to manufacture them in batches of 10,000. Then they’d be shipped back here and quality inspected by our inspectors. Out of 10,000 they’d scrap approx 6000 of them. And that worked out cheaper than paying us to manufacture 4000 good ones. How can you compete with that 
I got my Class 2 and found it impossible to get work so decided to sit on it for 2 years to escape the license for 2 years trap. Got bored waiting, took my Class 1 and was handed the keys to a shiny Stobart Volvo 2 months later.
Never looked back since, except for when I’m reversing obviously
One place I worked at started getting certain components manufactured in China. They would get the Chinese to manufacture them in batches of 10,000. Then they’d be shipped back here and quality inspected by our inspectors. Out of 10,000 they’d scrap approx 6000 of them. And that worked out cheaper than paying us to manufacture 4000 good ones. How can you compete with that
Hah, we do that with some of our fasteners.
Well hopefully I can find a class 2 job, but if I can afford it I will be doing my class 1 as soon as possible after my class 2. I just can’t plan that far ahead in terms of spending large amounts of money at the moment, have to plan for the worst right now.
Nice one Dan!
Are you still ducking in the cab going under bridges in a DD? 
I do! 
Hi Evil, between us mate I haven’t been out on the road yet, just a yard mule shunting about. Done some more today, but hey it’s a start and it gets me behind the wheel. And I thought it was worth a photo opportunity
But yeah they are tall buggers aren’t they
Dan Bear 87:
Hi Evil, between us mate I haven’t been out on the road yet, just a yard mule shunting about. Done some more today, but hey it’s a start and it gets me behind the wheel. And I thought it was worth a photo opportunityBut yeah they are tall buggers aren’t they
It’s all practice pal, and you are probably getting the most important part, or the bit most Newbies dread, the reversing!
Takes a bit of practice and learning doesn’t it, in 10 years I might be good at it!