Hi All
I passed my tests back in 2008 with the idea of ditching my office job at the time…well what with the resession and having a young family, I played it safe thinking I was amour plated… how wrong was I …
An injury to my spine started played up which needed treatment and the employers couldnt keep my job open… since then Ive been nursing it back to something what I call half decent…for over 2 years
ATM the good old ppl at the job centre just want me back off work and off there books… I wanna go back to work …Ive hated being off…starting to climb the walls
It would seem that the support isnt there… I have mention to the Job centre about getting some refresher training as I havent been behind the wheel of a truck in 5 years…then I could start applying to agencies and getting one shift aweek just to break me back into the swing of things & it would make any job assesment much easier…but seem to get this negative responce form them 
So if you was in the same boat… is what I am doing of asking for refresher training right or wrong…
My experience with these cowboys at the jobcentre is they don’t give a toss. Go out of their way not to offer you training. I’ve been unemployed for quite a few years for health reasons. Normally I would sign off and then on again to keep off their radar. Problem is if you insist too much they will send you onto Work Programme or some ■■■■■■■■ “training provider” and you might find yourself sitting in a room flicking through yellow pages for 5 days a week for up to 13 weeks. The only help you are going to get is to do it yourself. That’s my experience. Saving up to pay my way through LGV as they won’t help. I think the only refresher you are going to get is pay for a few hours with a trainer. Or just go for a job and hope you get a decent employer who will be understanding and ease you back into things. Or keep stum and hope all goes well with the job.
Two thoughts…
First, I think it isn’t a bad idea after a 5 year gap to do a morning with a driving school. It will come straight back to you and won’t cost a fortune. Actually I only drive a few times a year myself and it takes about 20 minutes each time before I feel back in the swing of it.
Secondly, I can’t help but wonder if you really want to be bouncing up and down in a cab all day if your have had a spine injury. You may feel you have no choice, but was your office job so terrible that you would never want another one? (The perks of knowing your start and end times with young family also comes to mind). If driving is where your heart is then fair enough.
If you say what area you are in you may even get an offer to sit alongside and do a bit of driving, it isn’t unknown!
Save for a sentence or two you’re in the same position I was (passed C in 2007 didn’t drive one until 2012).
You don’t mention your CPC status- this will have expired now from when you passed (2008 would still have had you under grandfather rights till Sept 2014) so you’ll need to do your 35hrs before you can drive commercially.
As for a refresher course I would recommend it, I took a 4hr one and that got me back to a standard I started work less than 2 weeks after and never looked back.
SaintAndy:
Save for a sentence or two you’re in the same position I was (passed C in 2007 didn’t drive one until 2012).
You don’t mention your CPC status- this will have expired now from when you passed (2008 would still have had you under grandfather rights till Sept 2014) so you’ll need to do your 35hrs before you can drive commercially.
As for a refresher course I would recommend it, I took a 4hr one and that got me back to a standard I started work less than 2 weeks after and never looked back.
No need
CPC status - grandfather rights till Sept 2014
August 2014 - 35hrs and its valid until 2019… so its all good… its covered 
How many years experience have you got Chunks ?
Can see you said you’ve not driven a wagon for 5 years.
If you’re experienced I wouldn’t bother with a refresher course and as th2013 it won’t take long before you’re back in the swing of things.
Get on with it kiddo 
Ramon123:
How many years experience have you got Chunks ?
Can see you said you’ve not driven a wagon for 5 years.
If you’re experienced I wouldn’t bother with a refresher course and as th2013 it won’t take long before you’re back in the swing of things.
Get on with it kiddo
Limited … when I passed my test did the odd day weekends, but found the WTD an issue coz of my full time job…got this phrase running about, its like riding a bike…abit wobbley to start with but once in the groove its fine…
If you’re unsure then I’d agree with booking a short session with a driving school. Just explain your circumstances and that you just need to go for a drive with someone for a few hours.
You’ll be fine.
Max-Cady:
My experience with these cowboys at the jobcentre is they don’t give a toss. Go out of their way not to offer you training. I’ve been unemployed for quite a few years for health reasons. Normally I would sign off and then on again to keep off their radar. Problem is if you insist too much they will send you onto Work Programme or some [zb] “training provider” and you might find yourself sitting in a room flicking through yellow pages for 5 days a week for up to 13 weeks. The only help you are going to get is to do it yourself. That’s my experience. Saving up to pay my way through LGV as they won’t help. I think the only refresher you are going to get is pay for a few hours with a trainer. Or just go for a job and hope you get a decent employer who will be understanding and ease you back into things. Or keep stum and hope all goes well with the job.
That about sums it up in a nutshell… I’ve got an appointment with the job centre on 31st, so lets see what BS they can come up with now… I shall ask them about funding some refresher training but I wont hold my breath… probably if I need to do it, throw it on me CC…
Just in case you were not aware. Rule change recently. You can self certify yourself for maximum of 2 weeks sick (two times per year only). No doctors note necessary. Get hold of a JSA28. Hand it in. Time it right you can get them off your back for nearly 4 weeks. Also (with a doctors note) you can get up to 13 weeks but keep getting JSA. No need to sign on during that time. You still have to take some steps to find work but not as demanding. May be useful if they single you out for “special treatment”. Might send you on some BS programme to have some former used car sales rep f*** up you CV. Hopefully i’ll get my LGV licence and can see the back of these morons once and for all. As a matter of principle I want to get my JSA payments to cover my LGV costs. Satisfaction of it more than anything else.