In order to help someone understand something about us, would you please take the time to list what you did before becoming a HGV driver, the qualifications you have and the reasons why?
Will be directing the person to this thread.
Many thanks.
felt roofing from school to 19 then some brick laying then driving ever since, when through the last 2 yrs at school hell bent on bricklaying,then some how got lost then as with all young kids you follow your old man into this job and cant get it out from under your skin.
hi conor,
left school in 1987 trained as a paint sprayer,i then joined the army in 1990 finnaly leaving in 2002, i then trained up as a data communications/fibre optics, but couldnt get any work local, so worked on irish ferries as a shunter hen decided to take my c licence, then after 2 years took my c+e.
hope this helps
left school at 16 and started apprenticeship in commercial vehicle body building lasted 3 years then i worked on a chemical plant for 5 years always wanted to drive hgv’s since being a kid so i took the plunge and did class c got 9 months expirience then did class 1 would never go back to being stuck in the same place everyday. life is lush 
left school in 1976
turned down a job with the then cardiff city hall in the accounts dept which my grandfather had got me poss the biggest misstake of my working life
started as a contract butcher with JH Dewhurst they put me thro my car test 1978 so as to drive the vans and 7.5 tonners
my class 3 as it was then at 21
and as part of the redundacy package put the drivers thro our class 1 in 1988 when the depot closed that was my 2nd biggest mistake becoming a hvg driver
I was in the Army .I got my C licence whilst in the Army so I could be a driver of the good old Green Goddess 
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Left the Army with no intentions of doing my class 1 , a few laters and i eventually took it .Pays more .
Intriguing that you will direct someone for history but here goes.
Left school in 85, at 16, and worked on the YTS as a Forester, then went into a fireplace factory as a labourer when the year was over. Was a sawsman, stone layer and brickie all in one there. Left that at 19 to drive a Bedford TK as a scrap metal dealer. Passed class 1 in April 1990 and went on long distance in May.
CV is now completed!!
left school 1974 - was in the first year to catch the raising of the leaving age from 15 to 16.
Whilst at last year in school - yes, when I should have been in class but wasn’t - forecourt attendant/tyre & exhaust fitter at a local garage - that will teach them to raise the leaving age!!!
junior leaders regiment Royal Corps of Transport.
Lewis’s cash office then receiving dock
night shift foreman at national carriers
night shunter artics & rigids for national carriers - this before I had got any driving licence.
First driving test done and passed first time with national carriers at their peterborough traing school - taken in a 7.5 tonner ( I used to cycle to work and then drive the truck - it was 3 years after that when I first got to drive a car).
7.5 tonne multidropping for national carriers.
7.5 tonne multidropping for another local company
van driver for beer & spirit merchant & worked evenings in their shop to get money for my HGV training
took CLASS 1 (artic) 1988 and passed first time - 7 day course
Served my apprentiship as a ships plater at a local small ship builder, stayed in engineering for 20 odd years, got fed up and took my c and then C+E straight after. Now earning twice what I was as an engineer in my area.
Spent my first 30 years in electronics/telecoms/computers with all the necessary qualifications, finally as contract systems analyst.
Been driving now for 3 years, love the road just wish I could find an employer that don’t take the p**s 
left school in 85 went on general building yts scheme when that ended became a flt driver didnt do my car test till 91 coz i was more into bikes.
Day after i passed my car test got a parcel delivery job van driving did that for 2 yrs until the firm went under so i went on agency driving vans, 2nd day on job the bloke asked me to go fulltime with him but would i be ok driving a 7.5 tonner so i said yep no problem a year later he packed up so i drove 7.5 tonners for various firms and agencies then till 2000 when i did my LGV C then did my C + E in early 2005
I also drove taxi’s for nearly 2 yrs from 2001 till 2003 while wife was preggers and then while the littlun was a new born i was self employed so i could go (or stay at) home when i wanted + always local so if there was a problem i could go straight home (wife has disc degeneration of the spine not nice under normal circumstances and certainly no fun for her whilst pregnant) And i hated it more than you could ever believe possible. 
Shop assistant
Store detective
Courier driver
HGV Class 1 passed in 1991 - did about 3 years driving - then…
Started re-training in just about everything computer related, took Teacher Training certificate, became an IT Tutor in college
Moved to London to train corporate clients
Became an Estate Agent ! 
Moved back to Nottm - got back on the road. This industry gets ya don’t it!
All a natural progression eh?
Oh and seeing as ROG is being a smart arse i passed all my tests 1st time too
8 lessons in car then passed 1st time,
LGV C started course on monday morning passed test friday afternoon,
LGV C + E started course monday morning passed test thursday morning. 
i also got 35 out of 35 on my theory test too so go on pat me on the back im so clever i have to tell everyone else just how superior i am…Maybe i should put the above as my signature or something equally ■■■■…ffs
I was a ■■■■ star, i had to give it up in the end as i couldn’t sit down comfortably !!
Mike-C:
I was a ■■■■ star, i had to give it up in the end as i couldn’t sit down comfortably !!
that’ll teach you for starring in gay ■■■■
Conor:
In order to help someone understand something about us, would you please take the time to list what you did before becoming a HGV driver, the qualifications you have and the reasons why?
I’m not a full-time driver. I only drive occasional weekends. Full time, I’m an electronics engineer.
Qualifications? Well… (deep breath)
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Driving license categories B, C, C+E, D1.
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FLT (reach + counterbalance).
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BSc(Hons) Electronic Engineering & Computer Science.
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C&G Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment (plus C&G Management of …)
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Plus a smattering of GCSEs and A-levels.
An interesting mix, one might say…
I’m not saying, otherwise Reef will start taking the pee. 
cant remember which year i left school, think it was 1998, started in a transport ofice in felixstowe doing a college course too, now have an nvq level 2 in organising road transport operations. once i was old enough to drive, then at 17 i got a job as a removal man, that lasted 3 months, then (through contacts made while in felixstowe) i started van driving for n c cammack and son near colcchester, at 18 they put me through my 7.5 tonne test, then i left when i was about 19-20 to go tyre fitting, that lasted a year before cammacks waved a class 2 under my nose, went back and then they put me through my class 1,
Left school in 1990, did 2 yrs YTS at a Agricultural Machinery dealer, whilst doing a City and Guild in Agri Mechanics, which I passed. No job at the end of the YTS, so did 6 months for a local farmer/dealer, then 6 months on the dole.
Had a go at sales for a milking machine firm, but ened up on the service van for 18 months, then 3 yrs back at the dealer I did my YTS with, working in the workshop.
Then went driving full time in 1997.
marcustandy:
I’m not saying, otherwise Reef will start taking the pee.
No your alright mate your not on my [zb]it list
YET!! 