Ok so as most of you will know I passed my class 2 in Jan, as yet no job, so no recoup of my 2k as yet and my head is slightly starting to drop but I’m still going at it. I had planned on getting my C+E as soon as I had the cash. Well I now have the cash but I’m unsure if I’m willing to spend it on a licence that I’m not going to get a job with. My thoughts are going down the line of hiab, moffett training or the likes. Penny for your thoughts.
It’s a regular situation but there are members on here who do get class 1 work with new licences.
Going for a HIAB may be a better way of spending your money. The pay difference between C2 and C1 work is negligible.
I suppose how much it comes down to is wether you want a class 1 licence or are you happy to settle with C2 and not regret not doing your C1 in 5 years time.
I prob would regret no doing the class 1 but it’s what’s most likely to get money coming back in. There are a lot of class 1 jobs advertised up here but it’s the age old story of the 2yrs exp and that’s the agencies.
Danny_b:
I prob would regret no doing the class 1 but it’s what’s most likely to get money coming back in. There are a lot of class 1 jobs advertised up here but it’s the age old story of the 2yrs exp and that’s the agencies.
get ur Hiab Its an extra string to your bow , you can get onto a few other things then to get a bit more experience and maybe get someone to bang you into a C+E wag and drag 
that will give you ur artic
nick2008:
Danny_b:
I prob would regret no doing the class 1 but it’s what’s most likely to get money coming back in. There are a lot of class 1 jobs advertised up here but it’s the age old story of the 2yrs exp and that’s the agencies.get ur Hiab Its an extra string to your bow , you can get onto a few other things then to get a bit more experience and maybe get someone to bang you into a C+E wag and drag
This is my train of thought just now, it’s something else to offer than a crisp new licence.
It’s difficult not to feel a little bit down about getting the work to recoup the investment so far. I and no doubt many others were in the same boat. What worked for me was using the agencies to my advantage. I signed up with a few and basically said I’d do any work they could get me and my limited experience self into. Did a month on the class 2’s multidrop before I got my first C+E.
Any additional qualification will help you get work. A new CE driver will frequently start on C and then progress. But, only this week, I’ve put a brand new driver in touch with an employer looking for a driver and he got the job straight away.
BTW, that’s on an artic having trained on w+d - - no problem.
Where are you?
Pete 
driver hire and man power are the only two agencies in my area that deal with drivers, neither will touch me as I don’t have the dreaded 2 yrs exp. I had my mind set on the class 1, I just feel it’s an unjustifiable expence at the mo. I could put the cash to better use, hence the hiab etc. However am I going to spend money an a perishable (5 yr renewable) qualification and still be stuck with the no exp, no job situation?? because if (and I think it maybe) this is the case I think the class 1 would open more doors than the hiab, moffett etc. Also because of my stupidity and using a broker for my class 2 by the time I got the class 1, I’d be 3K + out of pocket.
I’m smack bang in the middle of Glasgow and Edinburgh Pete.
most if not all of us have been in the same situation mate, the thing to remember is non of us gave up.
I’m just trying to sort my next move out, I’m not a quiter and I’ve put in a lot (too many) of free hours with local companies so I can gain a little on the job experience. Long story short my redundancy package paid for my class 2. I got paid off last aug, sat my theory/HP in sept. Got my class 2 in jan and CPC start of this month. I’ve received a tax rebate so that’s where the “extra” cash has come from and I’m not sure what way to go as I’m at the point now that I need to be seeing a return from all this investment.
Get some smart casuals on and knock on every door within a 5 mile radius, no luck with that extend the radius.
2k for class 2? you where stung there im afraid and I think you know that yourself, lesson learnt, you will find your way just keep banging on doors even if your visiting the same places week in week out, better to be keen and showing people that, will pay off
All I can say is that the two years start ticking away as soon as you have your Class 1.
I did mine, including the fee for 14 hours CPC for £900
Spam-Javelin:
Get some smart casuals on and knock on every door within a 5 mile radius, no luck with that extend the radius.
All my free hours came about when they refused my work. I went with the well can I buddy a driver just to see how it all works from his end. I’ve had a few days with skips, a day of multidrops and when my digi comes through, I’ll get a days driving with skips. My radius is now at an hours travel from my front door.
Yeah Irish I was bent right over but I never know any better. I do now! 
In my experience you’ll be amazed at how quickly the 2 year rule dissapears with agencies/companies directly once you’ve got a few months under your belt, so if you can get a foot in the door somewhere regardless of how rubbish the job/hours/pay is then as the expression goes “short term pain, long term gain”.
It worked for me as I managed to get a full time class 1 job a few weeks after getting my licence - the job wasn’t the best and it became obvious after 1/2 a day why they couldn’t get drivers in the first place, let alone stick at it but I stuck it out for a few months then went back to the agencies and what a change in attitude in terms of them getting me work full-time, 2 1/2 years later and I’ve never been without fulltime work (bit of a lull Jan & Feb as usual but still enough to get by on).
Stick at it, be persistent and I’m a big believer that if you want something enough YOU WILL find a way to get it.
Tom
Cheers Tom. So back to the burning question class 1 or additional training e.g hiab, ADR, moffett etc■■?
Could you afford to do both? HIAB etc will give you more options from a Class 2 employment point of view as you already have your licence but doing your Class 1 will open double the amount of doors in terms of getting a job whether its through an agency or company direct.
Did my class 2 last August and went straight back in to do my class 1 , whilst the training was fresh in my head rather than waiting , although I had the finances to do this , my feeling was if I walk into a yard with various vehicles I wasn’t restricted to what I could drive , although I wouldn’t have experience I thought I may be more appealing to an employer who has a range of vehicles 3.5t upwards ect ,all the best Danny and I’m sure if you do your class 1 you will catch a break along the way if you read some of the other threads people do get a break but it won’t land on your lap , you have to do the groundwork Knock on doors get your face noticed and then when you’ve been and done the rounds do it again cheers m8 .
I’m thinking class 1 first as the hiab etc is half the price (ish) and theoretically a manageable cost at any point in time.
If it were me I would go for my Cat CE as it opens a lot of doors as it did for me although it did take a while did go phone go round & see a lot of companies was eventually offered a full time job on artic ( passed in W&D as is much easier )
Did have calls form other companies offering me work ( although not all with the best reputation but it was good experience ) so now have some experience on a variety on lorries & trailers I will look until I find the job that is right for me