Hi all, this is my first time on this, or any other forum, and apologies for going on a bit on this post.
Last month I was suddenly made redundant from a very well paid, but very stressful management position, (which I was not sorry about as it was the big push I needed). Though how the mortgage will be paid is a major worry.
On looking at the job market I have soon came to the conclusion the only jobs with a theoretical high earning potential are sales, and class one driving.
Well I don’t fancy sales, so I am going the class 1 route. Up until 1997 I was a commercial tyre fitter of 11 years, so I have a basic understanding of the industry. And after spending many a night on the hard shoulder of the M1, M25, fixing blowouts on super singles. Most likely on a lot of your trucks. I always admired the skill of the drivers I met, but never considered a driving career as circumstances never took me down that route until now. Anyway to the point of this posting. I am starting my class 2 training on the 3rd December and going on to the Artic training as soon as it’s possible. Now I know about the chicken and the egg scenario facing new drivers, and have been reading old posts for all the tips, hints etc, on getting a job for new drivers, and will continue to do so.
In the interim I have been working within a warehouse, and have just been offered another job working within one of Europe’s largest freezer distribution warehouse. The pay isn’t that bad for the job, and area, apx £19500 pa. 4 on 4 off nights. They also pay their class 1 driver’s £25000 4 on 4 off. My thinking is on completion of my class 1 I will approach the HR department and see how the ground lies for a job driving. I realise the experience issue comes into it, but my thinking is, I will have been working for them within the freezer for a couple of months, and they will have hopefully ascertained I am not a Muppet, but a valued employee who wishes to progress working for them. And so may have a better chance at driving for them. Can any one tell me if they have had a similar chance when starting out? Or is this path unlikely due to the driver negligence insurance, 2 years experience etc What ever happens I am going to take the job, get my class 1, and see how the land lays. At the moment they are currently short of drivers, and advertising, but until I have my class 1 in the bag I will hold off, and then approach them on the subject when I have it.
Hi Crosswind, and welcome to TruckNetUK.
Some of the larger companies are now '“promoting” warehouse staff onto the driving side of their business, because of the difficulty in getting drivers.
Some of the other members are far more up to speed on this subject than I am and I am sure they will offer some good advice.
Perhaps it would be worth speaking to the HR dept sooner rather than later,the company might even put you through your training !!!
cheers
STEVE.
Crosswind welcome to the site. Thats a tricky one you are faced with, but you really need to ask yourself a lot of questions. Do you really want to drive?? Can you pay your mortgage doing the warehouse job■■? drivers hours can be antisocial so ask yourself how your family would cope with you being away a lot( If you are married with kids). How much do you actually know about the industry(dont mean to be patronising but it was a question like this I once asked advice on here about).
To be honest in my personal circumstances at the moment i would stay in the warehouse because ive been on the road and dearly miss it but due to an impending wedding and parenthood im going to have to leave the driving for a while but from what you say there is actually a very good chance of getting(yer toe in the door) with this crowd.
Good luck with whatever decision you make mate and im sure there will be a lot of replies to this topic as in recent months there have been a lot of people in the same position.
keep us posted and again welcome to trucknet!!
regards
kev
As far as I’m aware, both Safeways and Littlewoods (and maybe a few more, not sure) do “Warehouse to Wheels” schemes where selected warehouse staff are offered the chance of going through their rigid and Class One licences and achieving an NVQ 2 in Driving Goods Vehicles.
Each candidate takes out a career development loan of about £3000 which is paid off by the government if the candidate stays the course. If the candidate chooses to leave before the allotted time the loan goes with them and they become responsible for paying it back.
The scheme also incorporates the Modern Apprenticeships Young Drivers schemes, whereby an eighteen year old can achieve his/her Class One. However, under the Young Drivers scheme, the candidate can drive only for his/her sponsoring company until he/she reaches the age of 21.
In effect, free training to the highest standards currently available (NVQ 3 in Driving Goods Vehicles has yet to be written, far as I’m aware) within the industry and a guaranteed job at the end of it.
Hi Guys
The antisocial hours are not too much of a problem, I was working at London Luton Airport working a 24/7 4 on 4 off, so myself and family are used to me being away from home a few days at a time. I couldn’t face a 9 / 5 week day job. I would rather work over a weekend earning a larger salary and have time off in the week. 4 days away covering a weekend, days or nights (Days to start with to get the hang of it then do nights to get the money) this would be just about perfect, but I do know we don’t live in a perfect world and will have to do what it takes.
When the little one starts school in year or so I will re-address any shift rotation. As to knowing much about the industry, my knowledge is limited, but then that’s why I will continue looking on this site, and hopefully get some much needed info from you guys, and continue the learning process. The training school will put me through a 2 day classroom course to help me get my head around, driver hours, tachographs etc (It all helps) I have already paid for the full course,
(It was cheaper that way and meant I would have to go the whole hog whatever the future brings. At my age, 34 I do not want to be in the position that I have found myself in the last few weeks again, and even if circumstances meant I never used my class one in anger I would still have it and would have greater opportunities in the job market, whatever experience I had, had not gained)
I had reservations on allowing a company to put me through training as I would be tied to them for a period of time and would have to buy my way out of the job if it was pants, or I just didn’t like driving full stop. I know I will not like the warehouse job as its what I am currently doing, but a few grand more, but as cold as the artic, but I will take it to get the money. It won’t pay the mortgage, which hopefully should be going on payment holiday for the next year, as of next month. I need to pull in at least £26000 by next year, and with out a sales job with bonus, or re-training that will be most unlikely. Driving with only a transport manager on my back, and the Muppets on the road, and not stuck in middle management with grief above, and below (sounds like a David Blain stunt?) can only be a improvement. Yes when I start driving I will in all honesty moan like buggary about my job, but who has ever worked in a job that they didn’t have gripes about. Maybe someone could start a new thread if they have the perfect job lol.
Crosswind welcome to TruckNet UK.
My advice - Go for it. If you ask and get turned down you’ve lost nothing, if you get the go ahead, result.
I work for a logistics company running a clients distribution centre and we have successfully moved people from warehouse to transport. The training was done in house upgrading from class 2 to class 1. I would not get too hung up by the payback option since you’de have to pay that out up front if you went to an outside training company. In the interim you’ll be getting some experience under your belt and in a years time the salary won’t be far short of the £26,000 target. You may even find that you have a better life (less stress) and can manage on a slightly reduced income.
Another point is that with the 4 on 4 off shift pattern you be be unlikely to be given work that will push the regs so you should be well able to stay legal.
Good luck.