I am a middle aged bloke in a reasonably well paid Ops Manager job that is just getting a little bit to tiresome ( kindest word I can think of ). Anyway vol. redundancy will soon be coming my way and looking to the future, I am undergoing C training next week and hopefully C+E shortly after, if I pass. I am also intending to get HIAB and ADR certification. I enjoy my driving and have driven 7.5 tonners on and off over the last 10 years. At my place, it is always the managers they turn to to keep the wheels turning at times of industrial unrest and there has been plenty of it. And the pay off for me had been how much I enjoy the driving aspect, hence my new found aspirations.
Unfortunately, my initial glee on finding this very fine forum is slowly but surely turning to despair as I read thread after thread from despondent contributors that seem to be struggling to find work.
I find it insane that I read that the country is short of anywhere between 50-80 thousand drivers yet browsing the web, you find very little in the way of jobs. Or that employers insist that prospective employees have 2 years driving experience. How the blimming heck does a new driver go about getting the experience if he/she can’t get a job. It is a real chicken/egg situation that would only ever occur in UKplc?
Please tell me I am not wasting my own time or money by doing this as I have set my heart in getting the licence as I enjoy driving at all levels?
I’m afraid the hard fact is that you are starting on the bottom of a new career ladder…just as an office worker has to start doing data input, wagon drivers have to start on agency or in a not-so-ideal job.
As long as you’re prepared to take whatever you can get to start with, and go around haulage yards knocking on doors to get it, you’ll find work. The 7.5t experience will help you too. Just don’t expect to get top rates and a top motor. A few newbies do, but they’re in the minority…most firms like that want experienced drivers, just as most better-paying office-based recruiters do.
Nothing worse than doing a job you hate and it looks like you have a chance to do something you want. I used to work with a bloke who was a Dectective and got so bored with the job he took his HGV’s and ADR and the bloke I worked for gave him a chance.
However has you read getting that first job after spending loads of money passing your test can be a nightmare (at least you won’t have the problem of being under 25 )
But I think it always has been, I passed my test in 1992 and didn’t get work for another year, (although I was looking for part time work)
There are jobs out there and employers who will take on newbies of all ages, I think the best thing to do is to go and knock on doors and don’t give up after the first week. Also go back and remind them you’re still looking if you haven’t got a job after a resonable period.
In my humble opinion I don’t think there is a driver shortage, I think it is a con which I fell for as well as others.
If there was employers would not be able to be so picky, they would have to take newbies and make sure they were trained to do the job the same way they do in other industries.
There seems to be a poor attitude in this industry and most of it comes from managment.
You could be (understandably) depressed from reading some of the unhappy or negative posts on this forum but I’m quite sure that for every unhappy person there are another 5 to 10 who are satisfied with the job. Normally people don’t feel the need to come on here and say “I had another okay/good day today”, however, this is a great place to let off steam about a bad day!! It’s human nature to discuss the bad bits first - it’s also why the TV news and papers spend more time telling us the bad news rather than good news!
I’ve kinda landed on my feet, got a good employer with lots of opportunities for CPD and a good pension scheme (if I stay long enough). I spend a lot of time in an office, quite a bit of time training (others) and some of the time OTR. I see my family a lot more than many people in this industry…and yet there’s still a bit of me that, despite knowing all the negatives, would at some point like to either run my own vehicle or go back to tramping/euro.
I honestly believe the situation isn’t quite as simple as the press make out i.e. ‘50-80k drivers short’; it’s more like some one has already said ‘there’s loads of crap jobs’. The good jobs are out there; see it as a test of character to keep looking for that good job and don’t give up until you do! If you give up before you find it, maybe you weren’t suited after all.
I enjoy my driving and have driven 7.5 tonners on and off over the last 10 years. At my place, it is always the managers they turn to to keep the wheels turning at times of industrial unrest and there has been plenty of it.
So your firm has a fleet. Maybe you can take redundancy then re-apply for a job as a driver in the 7.5? They’re more likely to take you on being a former employee. And if assuming they have something larger than 7.5t they’re likely to get you driving those if and when they’re short.
Just a thought, another way of gaining the experience.
PS. from your description it sound like you work for Royal mail?
I too am a newbie and reading the forum to get as much info as I can about the new career I want to move into. I am thankfully the right side of 25 y.o. and have alot of very large farm machinery experience I hope will count in my favour with potential employers when I try and get my first jobs,in being ale to show how I handle and maintain equipment properly.
I have realised too that getting a plumb job straight off is unlikely and trailing round the local companies and agencies is the accepted way for a year or so. I hope this route will give me good experience in plenty of different types of work.
My biggest concern is that for the first year I only want to work 3 days a week or so, as I currently look after my young daughter fulltime. I do however intend to work weekends and Mon/Fri, which I hope will be in my favour (Any experience anyone?), but I’m sure that not being able to do a whole week will rule out some possible work?
I am thrilled to be taking my theory test on Thursday closely followed by an assesment drive a few hours after. Then hopefully I can get on a cat C course a few weeks after this.
)
