Report: HGV Drivers in Short Supply As Economy Recovers

A new report from a key association of employment recruiters indicates that HGV drivers are among a number of skilled workers in short supply as the economy recovers. The report was based on a survey of members of the Recruitment and Employment Confederation. The survey shows some troubling trends that need to be addressed if the recovery is to be supported by jobs over the long term.

The most important statistic from the survey suggests that 64% of employers who regularly use staffing agencies do so because those agencies provide immediate help in key staffing areas. The implication is that employers are having trouble hiring and recruiting workers to join them full-time. The report went on to say that companies are doing a number of things, including increasing pay, to encourage more workers to apply.

We should note that HGV drivers were included in a list of workers in short supply. The list also included engineers, construction workers, and technology specialists. Where the number of applications allows, 87% of the surveyed employers plan to increase permanent hiring within the next three months, and 78% will be adding new permanent hires throughout the next 4 to 12 months.

If you are not connecting the dots here, let us break it down for you: the transport and haulage sectors in the UK are in desperate need of licenced drivers. Remember that transport and haulage is the backbone of any nation’s economy, so demand for drivers increase as the economy expands. If our economic recovery is to be supported over the long term, we will need a considerable number of new drivers to enter the workforce.

New Jobs and Retirements

There are two factors contributing to the current shortage of HGV drivers: the creation of new jobs and the retirement of older drivers. Let’s consider both for just one moment.

New jobs are being created by an expanding economy requiring the transport of freight across the country. Of course, as well as this, an expanding economy means UK residents are more willing to travel now than in the past. This puts a greater burden on the transport industry.

As for retirement, a fair number of drivers have decided to call it a day rather than spending the money to earn CPC certification in advance of the September deadline. Older drivers who were already nearing retirement would rather retire now than spend the money. A sudden surge in retirement means a lot of existing jobs are now vacant.

One of those jobs is waiting for you. All you need do is complete your HGV training to earn your licence. Here at the HGV Training Centre, we can complete your instruction and have you looking for work in a matter of weeks. If you were to begin right now, you could be employed by autumn.

The HGV Training Centre operates more than 45 facilities around the UK. We provide comprehensive training for all levels of commercial vehicles. Call us for more details.

Sources:

Staffing Industry Analysis – http://www.staffingindustry.com/eng/Research-Publications/Daily-News/UK-Growing-skills-shortages-could-hamper-jobs-boom-30854