Thinking of career change too HGV Driver

MarkRansom

I currently work in a telephone sales office an thinking of changing my career path does anyone have any ideas where too start i would be wanting the Class 1 HGV licence i currently only have a car lisence and no points im 32

Does anyone know the costs too complete all the tests an practical i know it can be a week long affair too do the practical,

does anyone have a kind of round about figure what im expecting too shell out

and also will i be able too find work easily as a newly passed hgv driver?

Thanks

Jo_F

You will need to have a medical, then do your theory, then your Class 2 and then your Class 1

Then you will need to take your DCPC (35 hours of classroom based work) in order to get your DQC card.

Oh and you will need to send off for a digi card.

Then start applying for work, and get loads of rejections because of the 2 year thing they all have, some places it's having held your licence for 2 years, some it's 2 years experience.

You will spend in the region of £3k getting all this, and then if you are lucky enough to find someone to take you on, don't expect good pay, a lot of places are paying just above the national minimum wage and you will be expected to do upto the limit of your legal hours.

As the partner of a HGV driver, I would say, go and get your fork lift licences and work in a warehouse, better pay/hours/conditions.

saintjammyswine

You could do a Driving Goods Vehicles Apprenticeship which includes the licence. You would not pay anything although a prospective employer may be asked to contribute to the training due to your age although in the current climate most providers are waiving this or reducing it to a couple of hundred pounds. Have a search on the National Apprenticeship Service website to see if there are any vacancies in your area. It would be a better route for 1. cost would be so much lower, 2. you would get some experience with an employer whilst training. People will tell you there is no work out there and in some cases it is correct but not always & in all areas.

Jo_F

Thing is though, will the scheme take him through 7.5t, and then rigid and then artic? and will it also include the DCPC? As without having 7.5t he can;t go any further and without his DQC he can't take paid work?

saintjammyswine

CPC will be included as he will have had over 35 hours of relevant, JAUPT accredited training.
Details of the framework are here http://www.skillsforlogistics.org/home/qualifications/apprenticeships/eng/dgv/

Chris_M_3

MarkRansom wrote: »

I currently work in a telephone sales office an thinking of changing my career path does anyone have any ideas where too start i would be wanting the Class 1 HGV licence i currently only have a car lisence and no points im 32

Does anyone know the costs too complete all the tests an practical i know it can be a week long affair too do the practical,

does anyone have a kind of round about figure what im expecting too shell out

and also will i be able too find work easily as a newly passed hgv driver?

Thanks

No, you will not get a job.

Do not waste your time and money trying to gain a truck licence. Go do something else.

FATBALLZ

I know of someone who tried to change careers into this, spent a load on getting the license etc. then could not get a job - all he could get was unpaid 'work experience' because nobody would take him on paid without a certain amount of experience (6 months?). In the end he packed it in.

patman99

DCPC is basically aimed at improving knowledge and road safety. So the average driver spends 35 hours undergoing training, then goes out and drives like they always have done.
Total load of Euro-carp. The sooner we bail from the EU the better.

They will be foisting this load of tosh on van drivers and taxi-drivers next.

saintjammyswine

patman99 wrote: »

DCPC is basically aimed at improving knowledge and road safety. So the average driver spends 35 hours undergoing training, then goes out and drives like they always have done.
Total load of Euro-carp. The sooner we bail from the EU the better.

They will be foisting this load of tosh on van drivers and taxi-drivers next.

Most local authorities now require taxi drivers to complete a NVQ in Road Passenger Vehicle Driving (taxi driving), does include sections on good service so is sometimes useful training!!!

Don't forget that many van drivers fall into the scope of CPC though. Twin wheel axles on a van = CPC required.

vax2002

Nothing that involves sitting on your backside ever pays well !

paulmapp8306

Dont know - I sit on my backside and earn £40k