A lot of previous threads on apprenticeships or employer
provided training schemes are quite negative.I would like to offer a different perspective on this.
I have just started working for dpd as a 7.5t driver to get some experience before getting my CE licence. I have just found out that they have an in-house training school to take current employees to get their CE licence.
Once qualified I will be on the same pay as their other artic drivers. I will be tied to them for 2 years which is standard and to be expected.
When you take into account the cost of training and retests if necessary, getting paid for the duration of training and a guaranteed job. I presume the training will be better as well as I will be trained to do the job not just to pass the test. I think it’s a pretty good deal. I know this won’t suit everyone and some companies will use schemes like this to keep you on low wages but if you find the right company opportunities are there.
I am in the initial stages of applying and have not been accepted on the scheme yet, so fingers crossed.
1van:
I presume the training will be better as well as I will be trained to do the job not just to pass the test.
Better? In what way? I’m sure forum sponsor PSTT would have something to say about quality of training across the industry.
Driver training is about just that, training you how to drive a large vehicle; teaching you how they want their work done would to me come under “company induction procedures”
1van:
I presume the training will be better as well as I will be trained to do the job not just to pass the test.
Better? In what way? I’m sure forum sponsor PSTT would have something to say about quality of training across the industry.
Driver training is about just that, training you how to drive a large vehicle; teaching you how they want their work done would to me come under “company induction procedures”
I’m not saying there is anything wrong with the training provided by schools but they are training you to pass a test at the lowest possible price which means you get the minimum amount of time driving.
If you take the reversing exercise part of the test as an example, it is of little use in the real world. As well as being taught to pass the test, I presume I will be taught how to reverse on to loading bays etc. I have yet to start so I don’t know for sure but it would make sense
they are training you to pass a test at the lowest possible price
That’s a bit of a sweeping generalisation, is it not?
Training that is done directly for or by a company may well be better than what is available elsewhere. But it’s the luck of the draw and there’s no way of knowing.
they are training you to pass a test at the lowest possible price
That’s a bit of a sweeping generalisation, is it not?
Training that is done directly for or by a company may well be better than what is available elsewhere. But it’s the luck of the draw and there’s no way of knowing.
Pete S
Maybe I worded it badly, apologies if I caused offence. My intention was not to imply that schools do not provide an excellent service. My point is they work in a competitive market, so have to work within those constraints. Pupils that use them will look at the cost of a course and their pass rates. As you have stated yourself they don’t offer extra reversing lessons, as the majority of pupils will not be willing to pay for it. Those same constraints do not apply so much to a haulage company that has an in-house training school.
A company providing you with the training and then tying you in for 2 years aren’t going to be any more likely to do anything than “train you to pass a test” than a proper driving school though.
bugger.lugs:
A company providing you with the training and then tying you in for 2 years aren’t going to be any more likely to do anything than “train you to pass a test” than a proper driving school though.
Under the old system where you had to do cat C first the timescale was:
Cat C 5 days
Cat CE 7 days
Mod 4 1 day
Retest 2 days
Correct me if I’m wrong but this is significantly more than training schools provided.
1van:
Under the old system where you had to do cat C first the timescale was:
Cat C 5 days
Cat CE 7 days
Mod 4 1 day
Retest 2 days
Correct me if I’m wrong but this is significantly more than training schools provided.
The only difference I can see is an extra 2 days on C+E. Just because it’s longer, doesn’t mean they’ll teach you any more than is necessary for the test though.
I’m not saying that they will do more or less than a proper driving school and I’m sure they’ll train you to an adequate standard regardless of anything above and beyond the minimum required.
1van:
Under the old system where you had to do cat C first the timescale was:
Cat C 5 days
Cat CE 7 days
Mod 4 1 day
Retest 2 days
Correct me if I’m wrong but this is significantly more than training schools provided.
The only difference I can see is an extra 2 days on C+E. Just because it’s longer, doesn’t mean they’ll teach you any more than is necessary for the test though.
I’m not saying that they will do more or less than a proper driving school and I’m sure they’ll train you to an adequate standard regardless of anything above and beyond the minimum required.
Probably my fault but my main reason for posting this thread was that people shouldn’t dismiss being on a training scheme and tied to an employer. All the previous posts have been quite negative stating you will be on minimum wages. I just wanted to point out that it’s not always that way and the good companies will pay you well and it can be a good opportunity.
It’s much better to self fund, then after 3 to 6 months in a first job having become a competent hgv driver, you will be able to move on to a highly paid job.
2 years is a long time to remain on low pay with DPD. Also, because you are not allowed to leave for 2 years, what’s to stop DPD giving you all the worse runs?
Definitely check how much it would cost to buy yourself out so that you can go and work elsewhere before the 2 years is up…probably a lot more than the £2,500 or so that it would cost to self fund Class 1 now known as CE.
carlston49:
It’s much better to self fund, then after 3 to 6 months in a first job having become a competent hgv driver, you will be able to move on to a highly paid job.
2 years is a long time to remain on low pay with DPD. Also, because you are not allowed to leave for 2 years, what’s to stop DPD giving you all the worse runs?
Definitely check how much it would cost to buy yourself out so that you can go and work elsewhere before the 2 years is up…probably a lot more than the £2,500 or so that it would cost to self fund Class 1 now known as CE.
The pay seems to be average for the industry, it’s easy work, they run by the book and it’s guaranteed work. I doubt I could earn much more in the first couple of years and probably a lot less to start with. Most of the higher paying jobs require at least a year or two of experience.
Do DPD have their own in-house driver trainers? I know they do in-house CPC and have driver assessors, but wasn’t aware if them actually doing practical driver training.
If they do then you’d like to hope they are of the high standards that you would expect of the better training schools, such as PSTT, where they are properly approved and accredited.
If they don’t have in-house trainers then they will send you to a local training provider, so what you get is no different to what you could source for yourself.
Either way, the training they will give you will be purely what is needed to get you through your test, after all, there is no point wasting time teaching you how to back onto a bay if you can’t safely get round a roundabout.
Liklihood is that any extra training will come once the test is passed in the form of going out with another driver for a few weeks instead of just throwing you in at the deep end
