I’ve seen a job advert claiming successful applicants can gain their class 2 licence whilst learning all other aspects of the job. In the collective wisdom of everyone here; does this sort of path provide a genuine, alternative way for a wannabe driver to gain their class 2 licence?
The cost of the training is paid for by the company and is organised by them. Minimum wage to £9.50p/h - subject to gaining your licence. Training is over a 7 month period.
So, the main question that comes to my mind is…
Since you are locked into a 7 month long job training schedule, is it likely that gaining your licence will come towards the end of that period to keep you on minimum wage for as long as possible? Unless, of course, in the contract there is a penalty clause, so you couldn’t leave early having already gained your class 2 licence without paying for the training that you have had.
Has anyone taken a similar route? If so, what was your experience like? Is there anything else to be aware of?
Cheers
Always best to fund it yourself if you can. Then if the job is a bag of bollox, you can just walk away.
I wasn’t purely thinking about the cost - although this could be handy for some (including myself, although not absolutely necessary) - but also about gaining your first experience as a newbie in a job driving job. So even if it wasn’t the sort of work that you enjoyed, at least you would have that experience added to your CV when applying for your next job.
Also bypasses the need to consider running the gauntlet of the agency bandits (at least in the short-term).
I see your point. I guess I was lucky, I had decided to get my licences when I got made redundant. So I’d booked the training when I got a job at a place that ran mainly 7.5s, but had a couple of rigids. TM told me he had enough class 2 drivers on the books, and I’d be wasting my money doing it if I was planning on staying there. Passed my test on the Friday, 10 days later I was on the rigids at least 2 days a week, and covering all holidays.
Something else that occurred to me; what would the motivation of a company doing something like this?
Is it a case of knowing that new drivers can, perhaps, be more easily moulded according to their own operating practices with less aggravation than experienced drivers? I think they are advertising for a few new drivers. I would presume that experienced drivers are more likely to be vocal about anything that they do not agree with and that perhaps contradicts what they have already learnt.