Well, you wouldn’t order a new truck in this climate, if this climate was good…
I feel sorry for all of these desperate people, clutching some small redundancy payment and thinking that an LGV licence will be the solution to their problems, when so many experienced drivers cannot find work.
I hope you explain to your pupils that the chance of finding work with their new licence is virtually nil.
Suppose I’ve got to respond to this one.
Firstly, speaking for myself, the climate is very good thankyou. We are one of the few operators working with a debt free fleet. Having had a record year, dare I mention that there is another on order as well?!
I don’t feel in the slightest bit sorry for anyone wanting to join this industry; it’s my experience that the vast majority of our trainees either have work in the pipeline before they start or secure work very soon after passing. I’m well aware that that may not be the norm - but it’s a fact where we are.
When asked the question “are there jobs out there” our normal answer is along the lines of “it’s harder than it used to be. Don’t expect £700 a week and a shiny new Scania. Be prepared to start on skip wagons, tippers or whatever and expect to earn IRO £300 per week”. So I don’t lie and tell them that the chances of getting work is virually nil Because that would, IME, be a lie. Feel free to do a “mystery shop” and find out. We never, ever, make any promises of finding anyone work. We are a training establishment (a pretty good one at that) we are not an employment agency. From time to time we manage to put a trainee with an employer and that’s a bonus for all concerned. But, it’s never promised.
Maybe some of the reason that some experienced drivers struggle and new drivers get a start is below:
Just a quick question and this is the best place on the forum for it, because I’m aiming at people who are just starting out, rather than old hands.
What kind of work do you see yourself looking for? Would you be prepared to start on a Sunday afternoon or Monday morning and then be away all week? Would you be prepared to spend weekends away? Or are you aiming to do a shift at work and then go home?
I’m asking because I will probably be putting a few trucks on the road next year and have always said that I would prefer new drivers with no bad habits who could be trained to do the job the way I wanted it to be done, but I am not even sure if anybody wants to do that sort of work any more, being away all week or for longer periods.
If you are just starting out, what are your thoughts on this?
from Harry Monk
Harry, Happy Christmas. Pete 
