hey!
im in the early stages of looking into becoming a class 2 driver. I have no proffesional driving experience and am concerned this would hold me back in finding a job once qualified. im looking for advise from anyone especially those who also had no professional driving on there CV before obtaining there class 2 licence. also anyone from the north west who has any opinions on the company i am considering using for my training TRUK in bolton.
any help is appreciated.
Keep on trucking! 
It will be hard getting a job with no experience full stop will it have on your licence that you have no driving experience 
There are a lot of drivers out there that cant find a job fact as not many jobs to be had
There are a few on here that have been with that company but a look in here may also help
viewtopic.php?f=46&t=44667&p=503949#p503949
If I were you I would book an assessment with more than 1 provider to see which you like the best before parting with any money but remember you get what you pay for
mickyjc:
hey!
I have no proffesional driving experience and am concerned this would hold me back in finding a job once qualified.
I wouldn’t worry. I had zero experience (many years ago) when signing up for doing 7.5t work through an agency 
Had only driven a car, which was a VW Polo! This was back when everyone had category C1.
Got phone call to turn up at a nameless poor unsuspecting outfit in Essex and helped get it loaded up then got given five invoices. The first one was central-ish London, somewhere near Battersea 
Tried to look confident and drove off and just out of sight of the yard folded the left mirror on a tree. Width lesson learned. Then stopped in first layby to play with the curtain-sides (never used before) and check how to open the back doors so I wouldn’t look like a fool when I arrived. Then went on A12 and learned about weight and stopping distances 
. Inched nearer the customer, stopped regularly to look at A-Z which I luckily had in ruck sack. Finally arrived and parked before realising his load was the other side of the vehicle. Drove for 20 minutes looking for somewhere easy to turn around. Arrived back on right side of road and couldn’t work out how to stop the engine (was pedal on floor). Finally delivered about 4 hours after I started! Next drop was a hospital and had to reverse up to loading bay. Learned about length, luckily someone guided me back. When I left there I forgot to lock the back doors, and got a shock seeing them swinging in the mirrors when I drove off. Learned about securing loads!
My point is that in the first hours I learned loads by virtue of making plenty of stupid mistakes, and by the end of the week had some idea how to go about it.
By time you are looking for work with cat C you will be in a much better position, you will have had professional training in driving a large vehicle and passed a theory test covering some of the principles of driving professionally. You will also have driven for an hour without making any major mistakes in your test.
So I would say don’t worry, do an assessment and check you enjoy it and if so go for it!
Tim
mickyjc:
hey!im in the early stages of looking into becoming a class 2 driver. I have no proffesional driving experience and am concerned this would hold me back in finding a job once qualified. im looking for advise from anyone especially those who also had no professional driving on there CV before obtaining there class 2 licence. also anyone from the north west who has any opinions on the company i am considering using for my training TRUK in bolton.
any help is appreciated.
Keep on trucking!
It seems a lot of people on here will tell you there is no work. But it’s not true. There is. I’ve got my test on Friday so I don’t have personal experience. But my friends who are already drivers find plenty of work through agencies.
I think the secret is to make yourself available as much as possible and to a few different agencies, regardless of your driving job experience, they may be short of people one time, and regular work for agencies can build up your experience, make sure you are available plenty though when you signup, as they may not call you again if you turn down the first few jobs? Are you looking for a job at the moment (driving or otherwise). I drive vans and 7.5t at the moment, but I do have class c/2 but no experience. I think you may be able to get some agency work on vans or 7.5t if you had a class c but no experience.
Is the training company you mentioned also known as truck training UK? It’s a few years since I trained with them, so I don’t know if it’s still run by the same people. If its they same guys I did my class c with them and they were top notch, they did a package with assessment, medical etc to determine how much time you need to train for. I did the intensive course which was 4 days with test on the 5th day
Hope that helps
Karl
Alan16ac:
mickyjc:
hey!im in the early stages of looking into becoming a class 2 driver. I have no proffesional driving experience and am concerned this would hold me back in finding a job once qualified. im looking for advise from anyone especially those who also had no professional driving on there CV before obtaining there class 2 licence. also anyone from the north west who has any opinions on the company i am considering using for my training TRUK in bolton.
any help is appreciated.
Keep on trucking!
It seems a lot of people on here will tell you there is no work. But it’s not true. There is. I’ve got my test on Friday so I don’t have personal experience. But my friends who are already drivers find plenty of work through agencies.
Are your friends new drivers?
hello my name is Lisa and i’ve just joined this forum. I wonder if anyone could give me some advice. I’ve worked as a painter and decorator for 5 years, but I have struggled to get frequent work over the past years, so I’m seriously thinking of going for an HGV C? Class 2. I worked for Royal Mail years ago driving the big 7.5 tonnes Vans and I feel quite confident about learning to drive a Class 2 truck. The thing is the 2 years experience required for most jobs - bit of a stopping point 
.
My question is can anyone suggest any companies who may be willing to take on newly qualified female HGV 2 driver in Essex/Suffolk and how do you rate my chances of success when I become newly qualified and being a female. Thank you all advice welcomed.
Any newly qualified driver can find work, what you can’t do is expect employers to beat a path to your door just because you passed the driving test. It’s up to you to do the legwork.
Rocketdogg:
hello my name is Lisa and i’ve just joined this forum. I wonder if anyone could give me some advice. I’ve worked as a painter and decorator for 5 years, but I have struggled to get frequent work over the past years, so I’m seriously thinking of going for an HGV C? Class 2. I worked for Royal Mail years ago driving the big 7.5 tonnes Vans and I feel quite confident about learning to drive a Class 2 truck. The thing is the 2 years experience required for most jobs - bit of a stopping pointMy question is can anyone suggest any companies who may be willing to take on newly qualified female HGV 2 driver in Essex/Suffolk and how do you rate my chances of success when I become newly qualified and being a female. Thank you all advice welcomed.
ive highlighted the words that dont matter …
you will have to prove yourself as a new driver , being female has nothing to do with it , if you do a good job bring the lorry back with all its paint on still, and do the job as best you can you will progress , ive been driving class 2 for 3 years and class 1~ 1yr and I can honestly say that no one has given me a hard time about being female , and have many companies that ask for me by name now
your a driver and will be respected for that
As Jen has said, it does not matter if you are female, i once worked with a great lady driver called Carla on Gibraltar round trips, she worked harder than the lads, but passed away with cancer a long time ago, she had an ERF Olympic space cab in red, her lockers were full of pills and medicine.She rented an small cottage in La Linea on the border town near Gib.
There was an ex RAF camp that we used to have to deliver in to on Gib, the gate in was tight and a blind side reverse.
She was the only driver to get in on the first attempt, the rest of us were burning out the clutches blocking the road, with all the mopeds and car horns going off.
There are many lady drivers that drive horse boxes all over the Uk and Europe with no problems, you will not believe all the paper work to get a horse a passport to get across the channel, the ferry firms will refuse travel if there any short comings on the paper work then you have to find a vet to update travel documents.
mickyjc:
hey!im in the early stages of looking into becoming a class 2 driver. I have no proffesional driving experience and am concerned this would hold me back in finding a job once qualified. im looking for advise from anyone especially those who also had no professional driving on there CV before obtaining there class 2 licence. also anyone from the north west who has any opinions on the company i am considering using for my training TRUK in bolton.
any help is appreciated.
Keep on trucking!
First off, make sure its what you want to do before you part with any cash!
I’ve just passed my C test with TRUK in Bolton (4th January), all I’m waiting on now is the module 4 CPC (23rd) and for them to send off for my digi card. I paid for a 16 hour package including medical, theory & hazard perception (3 attempts with the HP!), CPC case study test, 16 hours practical training and 2 attempts at the practical test, throw in the module 4 and the digi card application and its cost me in total just over £1600. They’ve been good to be honest, can’t really fault them. Where are you based? There’s also Red Rose Training to consider, they’re supposed to be good too.
As for work, everyone has to start somewhere, don’t expect it to come to you though. If you want it enough you’ll get there in the end.
Harry Monk:
Any newly qualified driver can find work, what you can’t do is expect employers to beat a path to your door just because you passed the driving test. It’s up to you to do the legwork.
Yep totally agree. Thank you Harry 
Jennie:
Rocketdogg:
hello my name is Lisa and i’ve just joined this forum. I wonder if anyone could give me some advice. I’ve worked as a painter and decorator for 5 years, but I have struggled to get frequent work over the past years, so I’m seriously thinking of going for an HGV C? Class 2. I worked for Royal Mail years ago driving the big 7.5 tonnes Vans and I feel quite confident about learning to drive a Class 2 truck. The thing is the 2 years experience required for most jobs - bit of a stopping pointMy question is can anyone suggest any companies who may be willing to take on newly qualified female HGV 2 driver in Essex/Suffolk and how do you rate my chances of success when I become newly qualified and being a female. Thank you all advice welcomed.
ive highlighted the words that dont matter …
you will have to prove yourself as a new driver , being female has nothing to do with it , if you do a good job bring the lorry back with all its paint on still, and do the job as best you can you will progress , ive been driving class 2 for 3 years and class 1~ 1yr and I can honestly say that no one has given me a hard time about being female , and have many companies that ask for me by name nowyour a driver and will be respected for that
Thank you Jennie it’s given me the confidence to go ahead with doing my HGV training.
no experience
go look at lorries and ask drivers the how and whys of their vehicles
Being female will not be an issue.
Not having had your licence two years and having no experience is likely to be. Yes, as has been said, you will find something eventually. But remember this time of year is the worst possible for trying to find a job (any job) as a driver. You will be competing with drivers with 20 years experience as well as other newbies anxious to get a start.
If you’re sure it’s what you want, and you’re happy with low pay and long hours, go for it. Take your time choosing a training company, and try to pick one that feels ‘right’ to you when you go to look round. Ask a lot of questions and see if you can have a chat with the trainees that are currently there.
You will need a lot of tenacity and determination to find a job once you have passed (unless you’re very lucky). Some training companies have links with local firms that can help you into work. Ask them before you sign up for training.
Around here, agencies are still advertising the same ‘jobs’ they were 6 months ago. You’ll find most agency ‘jobs’ aren’t. They are just building up their pool of available drivers they MAY possibly use at some point. Be alert to the ■■■■■■■■ (agencies all speak this language fluently), and once qualified, approach local firms in person ready to go there and then.
Good luck!
I would ask any haulage firm if they would give you a job after you qualify to drive.Remember that the Country is in a very deep financial crisis and its not getting any better.This being a National forum the situation in your neck of the woods could well be different from other posters.You might be able to get a cheaper rate for training if the school is not busy,you can always ask.You are competing for work with lots of experienced drivers as well as those who drove for Comet and Jessops.
18 year old drivers that have just passed the test are let lose all over Europe and beyond, firms such as Waberers and Edy Transport, Hungarion and Romanian operators, the driver must pass an international driver test.
To be honest you might aswell do it and then sit on you licence for 2 years …
mac12:
Alan16ac:
mickyjc:
hey!im in the early stages of looking into becoming a class 2 driver. I have no proffesional driving experience and am concerned this would hold me back in finding a job once qualified. im looking for advise from anyone especially those who also had no professional driving on there CV before obtaining there class 2 licence. also anyone from the north west who has any opinions on the company i am considering using for my training TRUK in bolton.
any help is appreciated.
Keep on trucking!
It seems a lot of people on here will tell you there is no work. But it’s not true. There is. I’ve got my test on Friday so I don’t have personal experience. But my friends who are already drivers find plenty of work through agencies.
Are your friends new drivers?
Yes