Well you can soon runaround looking for work in a two week period, & not find anything, or you can take them up on their offer & gain some experience- albeit ‘paid’ only by word of the possability of a job offer, but a least you will have gained a fortnights experience which will help you along the way!!! 
You never know they may take you on full time 
hope all goes well for you whatever you decide 
That’s a much better response than I had expected.
I think I might well do then if Wincanton is as well known as you say. I’ve got nothing to lose. Just waiting for my license to come back from DVLA with the picture of a big truck on the back.
id deffo do it just to get behind the truck wheel, sounds like a great idea to me
When I will get to the stage of looking for work I will call around companies and ask if they need drivers and then offer them myself unpaid work for a certain period of time, just to show them that I am good at what I do.
The only question is if I do the unpaid work and they offer me a permanet possition will the salary be the same for me as if it would be for an experienced driver?
So that is how Wincanton got so large, by using free labour 
Is there an insurance man in da house? We have often seen “legal” signs about only company employees are allowed on these premises or in these vehicles
Riho:
The only question is if I do the unpaid work and they offer me a permanet possition will the salary be the same for me as if it would be for an experienced driver?
No offence intended but why would you expect equal pay after you’ve proven to them that you’re soft enough or desperate enough to work for free 
Anyone considering this type of offer should think very carefully about it, I imagine that if you are not employed by the company you would not be able to drive their vehicles because of the insurance, if you are employed by the company then surely they would be guilty of paying less than the minimum wage, and nowt per hour is certainly less than the minimum wage.
I don’t know how this would work but I think you should find out before working for nothing.
@ the OP: Are you sure it was Wincantons who made this offer, I have to say that if it was then even this old cynic is shocked that such a large company would resort to such practices as this
If you do decide to work for nothing then please be sure to get an understanding of exactly what you will be doing before starting, I suggest you also find out how many other drivers have been made the same offer and how many of them are now working for the company.
I can’t pretend to agree with people working for nothing in circumstances like these but I do understand why you would consider it and I wish you luck whatever you decide to do
It’s a difficult one. I can understand you wanting to show them you are capable and work for nowt, but if this becomes the norm with more and more doing it, I can see it escalating and taking advantage of the 2 yrs experience rule where they will expect you to do the odd run for nothing until you have been passed your test 2 yrs. Then they will drop you like a stone and move on to some more recently qualified free labour.
Thin end of the wedge I think.
Interesting subject this one. As a training provider the Holy Grail would be to find a sure way to get the trainees into employment once they had passed. Even if this meant providing extra training like tachograph, drivers hours, construction & use regs, VOSA requirements etc.
The problem is that employers still want experience. I believe many hide behind the insurance story. Most insurance companies only put an age restriction, not an experience minimum. Otherwise how would they measure experience? By hours or miles driven or tonnes carried etc.
So why do the employers want experience ? What other industry welcomes non experienced, newly qualified people into their senior ranks. Not many. In this industry it is really down to 2 main reasons. 1) The cost of the vehicles and the value of the loads they carry & 2) Transport managers and operator licence holders are jointly liable and responsible under law with the driver for most breaches of the laws. It is presumed by employers that a driver with a few years experience will know most of the laws and also have fewer accidents.
So what is the solution. Well to begin with you have to convince an employer that you have as much if not more to offer than the other “more experienced” applicants. There are only 2 things an employer will judge you on. Ability and attitude. You have passed the test so your ability should be similar to the other applicants and in any case can be improved with time. Attitude cannot be changed so this is where you can win. Would an experienced driver offer the employer a try before you buy period. NO. This is your opportunity. Apart from the cost of getting there what have you got to lose for a week. In the worst case you don’t get the job your CV improves with every placement. You appear to be more experienced. Even if you only go out as the 2nd driver and never get behind the wheel.
I believe this is an area where training providers can help as they are likely to have contacts with employers and with companies that they have trained for. Would the LGV course be better if it came complete with an unpaid 1 week work placement at the end ?
I agree with John. It seems to make logical sense IF the job offer is really on the table.
I also agree with tachograph:
Are you sure it was Wincantons who made this offer, I have to say that if it was then even this old cynic is shocked that such a large company would resort to such practices as this
My concern is that you may be speaking with an agency - not actually Mr. Wincanton. Wincanton is one of the larger and reputable companies within the industry; I’m surprised they have the mechanism to make the offer. But please tell me I’m wrong. Nothing would please me more. Certainly Wincanton use new drivers - - I know cos I train for them. The insurance bit doesn’t bother me. Most insurances cover drivers “driving with the permission of the policyholder”. So I think that could be a bit of a red herring.
I find it interesting, and refreshing, to see the positive replies to this thread. A similar one came up a year or two ago and the response was the exact opposite. How times change!
I, too, would be very interested to know if an offer of a weeks unpaid work would be attractive at the end of a course.
Mr. Moderator: I feel a survey coming on!
All the best - no matter what you decide. Pete 
I am sure the economic outlook has changed enormously in the last year and will continue to deteriorate, but I would hardly describe it as “refreshing” that the advice given has changed from “You shouldn’t work for nothing” to “You should work for nothing”.
The problem is of course that after the probationary period is up, that they may simply get another probationer, then another, then another, never giving one of them a job… during a recession, there are plenty of people out there prepared to exploit the desperate.
a fair days work for a fair days pay. cheers,carl
The problem is of course that after the probationary period is up, that they may simply get another probationer, then another, then another, never giving one of them a job… during a recession, there are plenty of people out there prepared to exploit the desperate.
[/quote]
Yes indeed, and I have heard it said that a person who works for free will never be unemployed.
I think unpaid work is illegal isn’t it?
leemartin68:
I think unpaid work is illegal isn’t it?
No, my local steam railway is a private company which has both employed staff and volunteers, I doubt there is any legal difference between a railway enthusiast freely giving his time to drive a locomotive, and a truck enthusiast freely giving his time to drive a truck.
Harry Monk:
I doubt there is any legal difference between a railway enthusiast freely giving his time to drive a locomotive, and a truck enthusiast freely giving his time to drive a truck.
Correct AIUI as there’s nothing to state that the voluntary work needs to be untaken at an actual charity.
Just an idea. 
…What if you were to ask them for say a three month trial period for a wage, (even if slightly less than their permanent drivers ), & at the end of that period they make you a full time driver on the same wage in line with the rest, this would give you enough time to prove your worth to them. At least you would get a better grip on the ladder & if it didn’t work out at least you would have three months experience to show & a bit in your pocket !!
I would quite happily do a probation period on minimum wage at the moment. I’d still quadruple what I currently get because it would be four times as many hours if they offer 40 hours per week.
I do believe it was with Wincanton because I typed Haulage into google maps and zoomed in on Felixstowe and found lots of numbers and that was the number listed for Wincanton.
Don’t do it. Hundreds of drivers out of work and they can’t get a job for numpties willing to work for free. 
When I ran my own trucks if I had been employing someone and their CV said they had worked for a transport firm for two weeks for free I wouldn’t even give them an interview. I would take it they have very little self respect being used like that and would in general be a bit of a pushover. That CV would be filed in the shredder and I would move onto the next one.
Just my 2p worth.
Peter Smythe:
Mr. Moderator: I feel a survey coming on!
So start one then. 
Is this thread for real?!!
DoYouMeanMe?:
It’s a difficult one. I can understand you wanting to show them you are capable and work for nowt, but if this becomes the norm with more and more doing it, I can see it escalating and taking advantage of the 2 yrs experience rule where they will expect you to do the odd run for nothing until you have been passed your test 2 yrs. Then they will drop you like a stone and move on to some more recently qualified free labour.Thin end of the wedge I think.
This ^
Harry Monk:
I am sure the economic outlook has changed enormously in the last year and will continue to deteriorate, but I would hardly describe it as “refreshing” that the advice given has changed from “You shouldn’t work for nothing” to “You should work for nothing”.The problem is of course that after the probationary period is up, that they may simply get another probationer, then another, then another, never giving one of them a job… during a recession, there are plenty of people out there prepared to exploit the desperate.
and this ^.
/thread.