Hiyas i currently work in the private sector on class 2’s on council highways, but drive weekend mainly stobarts ,been driving ce since sept last year and want to go full time employed by a blue chip company so to speak, but has anyone taken the plunge as to leaving there full time job (iv been working for my current employers near on 16yr since i left school) and gone to an agency working permanantly and ended up employed by a firm, what i want to know is 1) has anyone done this and 2) was it worth it? and 3) do many agencies do temp to perm roles ,any advice or experiances would be great. may i add i am desperate to get behind the wheel permanantly and looking at any options to get more experiance
cheers folks
temp to perms are common. a lot of employers do this so they can see a driver in action rather than relying on an interview. having said that, i got a temp to perm based on an interview and had never been to the place before. its an easy way to recruit new staff
Are you employed by the council or by a contractor working on behalf of the council■■?
If employed by the council, I’d stay there if I were you, you will be on far better T&C’s than you will get at any transport company in my opinion, will have a decent pension and job security.
■■■■■■ if I’d leave your job for it mate.
I’ve done temp - perm which was a good way for me to decide I didn’t want the job permanent, would’ve worked well for the employer too if I didn’t decide first.
Couple of days after notifying the agency, I was replaced by someone else on the temp - perm position, as expected really, they wanted someone permanent and I didn’t want it, so find someone that does.
It’s as good as the gvt’s ‘job trial’ scheme they force the doley bums onto but with a better (a real) rate of pay.
You obviously have a steady job, and I’m presuming it pays reasonably well. May I please, as one who’s been both sides of the agency desk as both driver and consultant, offer you one piece of advice regarding this?
Simple… don’t do it.
Not just because regular jobs are thin on the ground right now; you should NEVER jack a guaranteed weekly wage to go agency. Put bluntly, you don’t have the experience yet, because with the best will in the world you can’t possibly have done more than thirty Class 1 runs if, as I’m assuming, you’re doing it legally. As you’ll be well aware , many companiers ask for two years minimum and although most can be flexible there are currently plenty of good drivers who fit those criteria and are looking for work. You don’t fit them yet.
Have you considered your pension? The fact that, if you take the plunge and go for the agency job, if it don’t work out you’ll not only be unemployed but ineligible for benefits because you jacked your original job? Got a mortgage/wife/kids? Want to keep them?
Sorry if this sounds rather blunt, but these are serious questions you have to ask yourself. I can quite understand you wanting to get out of your current job, but IMO just jacking it and going onto agency isn’t the most secure way forward.
I wouldnt do it mate,
Dont jack for agency when you dont need too, I know its pants where you are but just be patient.
Family first and all that!
Wait for full time job, keep applying bod!
selby newcomer:
employed by the council job security.
Council… Job for life…
Not any more pal!
Tories fkcuued that up!!!
haribo4000:
Tories fkcuued that up!!!
Helped to a great extent by the unions. But let’s face it there’s no such thing as a “job for life” anywhere is there? And was there ever?
That having been said, I’d wager a job on the council’s a ■■■■ sight more secure than lorry driving these days.
you guys are obviously NOT reading the OP as he states that he currently works for the private sector doing council highways work.
He also states that hes been doing it for the past 16yrs, which probably means its steady & regular work, but probably IMO not the best paying otherwise why is he doing agency work at the weekend other than to gain experience. IMO the grass isnt always greener leaving a full time job and going on agency, even on a temp to perm contract, as Ive found many of these T2P contracts are not the best jobs around even if they try to sell the idea of wanting to see how you get on before giving you the job full time. Revolving door seems to come to mind. I also agree with GN that he shouldnt make the move in the curent economic climate
peirre:
you guys are obviously NOT reading the OP as he states that he currently works for the private sector doing council highways work.
He also states that hes been doing it for the past 16yrs, which probably means its steady & regular work, but probably IMO not the best paying otherwise why is he doing agency work at the weekend other than to gain experience. IMO the grass isnt always greener leaving a full time job and going on agency, even on a temp to perm contract, as Ive found many of these T2P contracts are not the best jobs around even if they try to sell the idea of wanting to see how you get on before giving you the job full time. Revolving door seems to come to mind. I also agree with GN that he shouldnt make the move in the curent economic climate
I have read the OP and I know exactly what position his job is in He works in the public sector. 2 months ago I was his work mate. The job he is currently doing is being outsourced to the private sector at the end of year, so he is looking for a full time position as a driver. jumping a sinking ship so to speak.
I still agree its a bad idea to leave for agency work though. Keep doing as you are pal until something permanant comes up.
cheers haribo bod lol,escaped to victory you did pmsl 
, yes its a steady number were i am now employed by the council but as my ex colleague says my jobs more or less gone being tupe’d at end of year hence my desperation lol i wont lie my pay and conditions are not bad so to say but once im outsourced after that 90 days il be slung on the heap 16 years down the drain,i want to stay in work and have no intentions of ■■■■■■■ a giro up a wall lol,i have done more than 30 runs plenty of shop delieveries and trunking and is something i really want to do and feel ready for but maybe i should stay where i am for the security then wait till a fulltime role comes up, interesting reading folks appreciate it,
Do you have to TUPE over or do you have the option of redundancy? If I was you I’d ride the storm and see if you can get something permanent. My hubby recently lost his job and we are relying on agency work, we’d give anything for half the money he was on if it was guaranteed each month. He’s also been lucky and found an agency that isn’t mucking him about but there are plenty out there. So speaking from the other side, wait for a permanent position and then make your move.
if you really think your job is going in 12 months you would be a fool to jump ship now.
if you are TUPED, you either keep your job or get paid off.
If you leave now…no pay off and maybe no work.
no contest!
I don’t know where people get this 90 day thing from? TUPE Regs were introduced to protect your T’s ans C’s. There wouldn’t be any point having the TUPE Regs if your T’S and C’s could be attacked after 90 days? You need some proper advice mate.
If you need to be paid every week without fail, then stick to full time.
I made it work perm-temp because I only need to work every other week to make ends meet, which is like having a full time job with 6 months holiday per year.
This only works for me because I don’t have a monster mortgage, but do have a young family and non-working wife. 
the latest news is after the 90 days they want to get there own lads in to do the work (apparantly) iv applyed for VR redundancy the bosses say that is not an option also my base depot is not forced to be where i am now i could have to travel 50 odd mile away to say leeds or leicester etc its all rumours at the minute im just looking out for number 1 as im married with a lil baby so weighing up the options and this was one of them, I applied at NFT alfreton and that job closed yesterday so hopefully i may hear from them :s
There are ways to ensure you get redundancy instead of TUPE
I left a job with wincanton (the depot was down the road from the stockyard) when the depot closed and the work moved to Grampian foods at thorne (M18 J6) the drivers where TUPEd over but I argued at the interview that because I didnt have suitable transport ( didnt have a car, i walked to work :wink: even though the TM knew my car was in the carpark), therefore it wasnt feasable for me to travel. There was no garantee that Id be able to get a lift to work, no way theyd provide a company van for me to drive there etc etc. Their counter argument was I should buy a car to enable me to get there. But my counter argument was the distance is too far to travel & why should I get myself into debt buying a car to suit grampians needs, and several months down the line they might get rid of me any way, so I was deselected for TUPE and given redundancy. The irony was that shortly after leaving I started my agency career, and 3 months down the line i was working out of grampian foods at thorne doing the same job as before, working for the same TM, along side the drivers I used to work with. But one by one those drivers sucumed to the pressures & cost of driving to thorne each day, and left loosing out on the redunancy monies they could have got if they had got out earlier. so IF the OP sure he doesnt want to travel & is set on wanting to get out with money in his pocket, there are ways to do it, you just have to be convincing. maybe he should do what I did, & let it be known that his car has blown up and hes walking/cycling to work or relying on someone else for a lift to work atm and leave the car at home for a few days prior to the 90 day period to make his arguement look convincing. 
just a thought but if you driver for stobarts most weekends could they not give you a start seeing as they seem to adviertise for drivers weekly and know you?
there not setting on as yet at chesterfield as far as im aware they just rid load of trampers there last year, il keep ploddin on working for able agency and see what happens, in an ideal world i would love to get on ft at stobbies,the yards 2 mile from me lol
