HGV Drivers Wanted - How to Get Started In a Rewarding New Career

HGV Drivers

Back in the 1980s and 90s, young people were told to go into the field of computer programming because it was very much in demand. At the turn-of-the-century, career advice switched from computer programming to information technology. Today, young people are being steered into healthcare and STEM careers. Yet through all the ups and downs most job sectors have seen over the last several decades, one sector has remained amazingly steady: haulage and transport. HGV drivers, for example, have been consistently in demand for as long as anyone can remember.

Technology comes and goes in waves. Manufacturing and retail are heavily influenced by fads and consumer preferences. Yet haulage and transport is a necessary and vital part of the economy regardless of how other sectors are doing. This is why companies are continually looking to hire more drivers for all classes of commercial vehicles. Your decision to become an HGV driver would put you into an industry that has the kind of long-term stability not enjoyed by most other job sectors.

As of the summer of 2015, the industry was short as many as 40,000 drivers. For each candidate signing up for training, there were as many as nine job openings waiting to be filled. As for the future, experts say the industry will need an additional 125,000 new drivers through until 2020. Licenced drivers have the upper hand in determining the course of their careers by virtue of the fact that there are simply not enough drivers to meet a demand that is constantly growing.

Getting Started as a Driver

All licenced HGV drivers began their careers in the same way: by getting in touch with a training company to learn the details of the process. You can do the same. Just contact us at the HGVT Training Centre and speak with one of our HGV specialists. We will walk you through all of the details, including:

Licence Categories – Most of our students begin by getting a category C1 licence to drive articulated lorries. Some immediately go to work with this licence; others pursue a C1+E licence that allows for larger and heavier trailers. There are other licence options as well.
Medical Requirements – HGV drivers are required to be in reasonably good health throughout their careers. Starting your HGV training requires you to take and pass a routine medical exam provided by an NHS physician or an approved private doctor. We furnish our candidates with the necessary medical paperwork and referrals to low-cost providers.
Theory Test Preparation – Before a candidate can begin practical skills training, he or she must first take and pass the theory test. We provide all the information candidates need to know as well as preparation software that includes practice questions.
Provisional Entitlement – Driver candidates must apply for a provisional entitlement in order to begin practical skills training. We provide our students with a complete application pack and, where necessary, assistance in completing the provisional entitlement application.
Job Market – We are very upfront with our students about the current job market. We help each one determine what kind of work best suits him or her, then help guide them through the training process in a way that best prepares them for their career choice.

It should be clear to see that there is a lot involved in training to become an HGV driver. Surprisingly, the entire process only takes a couple of months to complete. So rather than spending years in university learning a lot of unnecessary information and accruing tens of thousands of pounds in debt, our students get in and out quickly so they can start their careers as HGV drivers as soon as possible.

Many Different Career Choices

Earning your HGV licence is just the start of an exciting and rewarding career. In fact, there are enough career choices within the haulage and transport industries that you could make yours just about anything you want it to be. Just remember that the key to any successful career can be summed up in a single word: experience.

When you first start working, you will not be given the choice assignments enjoyed by veteran drivers. But you will get enough work to keep you busy and put food on the table. Every mile you put under your wheels is another mile that adds to your experience and increases your value to both your employer and the industry. Experience opens the door to higher-paying assignments, continued education, and advancement within the company structure.

Having said that, here is just a short list of some of the opportunities you could choose from:

Long Distance – Long-distance driving is that which most of us think of when we imagine what HGV drivers do for a living. Choosing this kind of job means you will be travelling all across Europe. You may be away from home for long stretches of time as a result.
Local and Regional – Local and regional driving keeps you closer to home with assignments that rarely go beyond a hundred miles or so of your employer’s base. There are some employers who are licenced as UK-only operators, meaning that their vehicles cannot leave the UK.
City Driving – One specialised area of HGV driving is that of city driving. It takes a particular skill set and attitude to navigate congested metropolitan areas in a large, commercial vehicle. The biggest advantage of city driving jobs is that drivers are home every evening.

In addition to the three options listed above, there are a lot of different choices in terms of the kinds of vehicles you can operate. Training with us will give you access to jobs involving articulated lorries, box vans, bin lorries, tipper trucks, delivery vans, heavy construction equipment, and more.

If HGV driving is not necessarily your cup of tea, we also provide PCV driver training as well. This training will prepare you to drive coaches, buses and other appropriately classed vehicles that transport people from one place to the next. The training for PCV vehicles is slightly different due to the nature of the work. However, we can still have you trained and ready to look for a job in a matter of weeks.

HGV Drivers Are in Demand

There is no argument that HGV drivers are very much in demand. Anyone looking for a career that offers long-term stability need look no further than haulage and transport. Becoming an HGV driver could be one of the best choices you have ever made inasmuch as it will provide you with work throughout your entire career.

To learn more about HGV drivers, what they do, and how you can join their ranks, simply contact us at the HGV Training Centre. We can get you started right away by providing all the information you need to make a career decision. With a full car licence and reasonably good health, you can get the training and licencing process started immediately by requesting our application packs for both your medicals and your provisional entitlement.

With your preliminary paperwork filed, you are just weeks away from being ready to take your practical skills test at an approved facility. And with the HGVT Training Centre as your training partner, you will be ready to pass that test on the first try. How can we be so sure? Because our pass rate is consistently above 90%.

The only thing preventing you from joining the ranks of licenced HGV drivers all across the UK and Europe is a lack of training. So why not change that right now? Contact the HGVT Training Centre today and start the process of becoming a licenced and qualified driver with a bright future ahead.

Further Information

If you would like to find out more about HGV driving the following articles may be of assistance: