I’m doing my mod4 on the 15th, hopefully I pass and I’m ready to apply for jobs. I’m currently in full time work at a factory but have to give a weeks notice to finish. If I go the agency route how would I sort this I don’t really want to give my notice in and then agency gives one day work??
I’m one of those student muppets up to his eyeballs in debt, not that I’m bothered. The student loan isn’t something worry about. According to my P60, I earnt £25K last year working a pretty relaxed job. Its not the best job in the world, been promised class 1 that never happened so I’ve put in calls to companies around here to see what comes up.
I’d advise against plumbing or such trades unless you can put up with some of the worst of society. If you think that the older, more experienced drivers give it large you anit see nothing. Friend of mine has been a plumber for 7 years now, maybe more. Only since last year did his business really start taking off, he’s done his gas and is part of Gas Safe (he still owns me £500 for subbing him the extra for his exam). Before all of this he worked under some really crappy bosses on little more than £2.50 an hour. Imagine the worst cowboy haulier boss then make it 10 times worse, thats the level we’re talking about but he stuck it out and now its paying off. He’s got a nice cash flow going now, he’s having to turn down work but it really has had an effect on him. Last year, he lost a years worth of work because of a brain tumour.
Radar19:
I’m one of those student muppets up to his eyeballs in debt, not that I’m bothered. The student loan isn’t something worry about. According to my P60, I earnt £25K last year working a pretty relaxed job. Its not the best job in the world, been promised class 1 that never happened so I’ve put in calls to companies around here to see what comes up.I’d advise against plumbing or such trades unless you can put up with some of the worst of society. If you think that the older, more experienced drivers give it large you anit see nothing. Friend of mine has been a plumber for 7 years now, maybe more. Only since last year did his business really start taking off, he’s done his gas and is part of Gas Safe (he still owns me £500 for subbing him the extra for his exam). Before all of this he worked under some really crappy bosses on little more than £2.50 an hour. Imagine the worst cowboy haulier boss then make it 10 times worse, thats the level we’re talking about but he stuck it out and now its paying off. He’s got a nice cash flow going now, he’s having to turn down work but it really has had an effect on him. Last year, he lost a years worth of work because of a brain tumour.
I’m researching a lot of careers or industries and it seems the same story everywhere. People have to spend a fortune (time and money) on qualifications just to get past the CV screening stage and you still won’t get a foot in the door without experience. Then you need years of experience to get a decent job. Cowboys, ■■■■■■■■ employers, 0 hours contract and fake ‘self-employed’ roles are everywhere.
My challenge is I have little experience in anything and no useful qualifications (dropped out of University a few years back, so I have some debt but no certificates, worst of both worlds!). The job market means employers can demand the perfect ready made candidate for £7.50ph because someone will be desperate enough to do it.
Ploughing my savings or getting more debt into LGV training seems risky when I’ve no idea of I would even enjoy it, or be capable, or get a return on my investment. I think I need to get on and book an assessment drive.
I passed Cat C last Feb. The agency I had been with for just less than a year on 7.5s put me straight out in a class 2 seat with an insulation firm. After eight weeks they offered me a f/t job c.£23k. I left recently, passed Cat C+E last Wednesday and today took a job night-trunking. There are jobs but you need the right attitude. If you’re not sure if you’re ready to give it a go, either make you mind up to stick with it and overcome any difficulty as it arises, discover and use something as motivation, or look elsewhere.
Training-wise, I paid £300 for a full DCPC, medical was £60, can’t remember the cost of hazard awareness, £1250 for Cat C practical and £1131 for Cat C+E practical. If I’ve forgotten something, wait, I have forgotten some things that you need to do that would add to those costs 
, but I think that was quite reasonable for what I got.
Good luck making a choice, but stick to it once you have 
.
Sumsmeister:
There are jobs but you need the right attitude. .
The trouble is the people with the wrong attitude, just never ‘get’ that.
CovGuy:
Radar19:
I’m one of those student muppets up to his eyeballs in debt, not that I’m bothered. The student loan isn’t something worry about. According to my P60, I earnt £25K last year working a pretty relaxed job. Its not the best job in the world, been promised class 1 that never happened so I’ve put in calls to companies around here to see what comes up.I’d advise against plumbing or such trades unless you can put up with some of the worst of society. If you think that the older, more experienced drivers give it large you anit see nothing. Friend of mine has been a plumber for 7 years now, maybe more. Only since last year did his business really start taking off, he’s done his gas and is part of Gas Safe (he still owns me £500 for subbing him the extra for his exam). Before all of this he worked under some really crappy bosses on little more than £2.50 an hour. Imagine the worst cowboy haulier boss then make it 10 times worse, thats the level we’re talking about but he stuck it out and now its paying off. He’s got a nice cash flow going now, he’s having to turn down work but it really has had an effect on him. Last year, he lost a years worth of work because of a brain tumour.
I’m researching a lot of careers or industries and it seems the same story everywhere. People have to spend a fortune (time and money) on qualifications just to get past the CV screening stage and you still won’t get a foot in the door without experience. Then you need years of experience to get a decent job. Cowboys, [zb] employers, 0 hours contract and fake ‘self-employed’ roles are everywhere.
My challenge is I have little experience in anything and no useful qualifications (dropped out of University a few years back, so I have some debt but no certificates, worst of both worlds!). The job market means employers can demand the perfect ready made candidate for £7.50ph because someone will be desperate enough to do it.
Ploughing my savings or getting more debt into LGV training seems risky when I’ve no idea of I would even enjoy it, or be capable, or get a return on my investment. I think I need to get on and book an assessment drive.
Sounds like you really need to actually experience the job rather than just experiencing driving a wagon.
I am looking into it at the moment. I met a guy in Blackpool the other day who owns a chemical company in the north west. Just got chatting to him and mentioned I worked internationally in finance for many years, got made redundant and there are not many roles for me as it is very nuche what I do. Cannot get a role that suits - agencies bin my CV for it being a bit off-the-wall, swanning round eastern Europe and Asia chatting to people. HGV driving came up and he said he’d employ me (similar musical tastes I guess).
So, started looking at HGV training. I am used to working a lot on my own and have my medical tomorrow.
One thing put me off. I’ve been inundated with calls and emails from a company I made an enquiry to. Spoke to them this morning and was given a hard sell. They wanted £126 a month for 48 months. Given the quote was £3K for class 2, class 1 and an ADR course it seemed to me like a loan shark company rather than a training course. That’s £6K!!!
So, joined this forum. I’ve seen a class 2 course that I am keen to do first after getting my provisional and there is an open day which I will attend. I know all types of people in different industries, UK and International, who get desperate for haulage (and I mean desperate) when they need to get product out the door each quarter to meet wholesale objectives so I am not without contacts. I have the financing to do it and, lifestyle-wise, well I’ve spent the last 20 years on a plane doing silly hours so cannot see a great difference in lifestyle. The wife is used to never seeing me.
The biggest issue I would have is if I did all the training, and I am currently very enthusiastic about it, only to find it was a waste of time and effort and I was unable to get any work because I had no experience. I don’t mind throwing £3.5K at something I think I would enjoy but throwing £3.5K at something and not getting the opportunity to enjoy it would be illogical. I know a couple of guys who drive cement mixers who were in the same boat as me and they reckon they could fix me up with the firms they work for. I’m in the Midlands so communications network is good but in a few years I’d like to move to Cornwall and just pick up bits of driving work when I can - short or long haul - but will need references and experience I guess to make that move.
CovGuy… I’m from your area and although I don’t use my Class 2 licence for my current job I did initially when I passed. Driver Hire in Nuneaton and Warwick have a lot of work and gave me some pretty decent jobs. There’s alot of work in this area as we are so central
driverhire.co.uk/Microsites/ … ndidates1/
I was looking at driver hire .but wonder who they use for training .a lot of the trainers are stupidly over charged interest fees
This offer above only just started .and after a short call ,Om heading over to see them .i have asked them if they can use Peter Smyth rather than j coates …
Ajoc:
One thing put me off. I’ve been inundated with calls and emails from a company I made an enquiry to. Spoke to them this morning and was given a hard sell. They wanted £126 a month for 48 months. Given the quote was £3K for class 2, class 1 and an ADR course it seemed to me like a loan shark company rather than a training course. That’s £6K!!!
You might like to start your own thread, buddy. But have a look at this:-
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=139869
All the best.