Hi guys,
I’m hoping to get funding towards getting my licence through CILT via Aspire funding, has anyone had any success through them?
Hopefully I’ll find out next week, but with the new lockdown happening I’m fearing all my chances of becoming a HGV driver are out the window.
Secondly, I’ve 2 children, and I am limited to hours I can work from between 8 - 5, do I stand a chance of even getting a job with being limited to childcare?
Thanks,
Emma
Don’t let childcare worry you, yes it will limit some jobs but there are plenty out there that do local Class 2 work.
It might help if you ring around, before committing to any sort of training. This should then help you form your decision making [emoji106]
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stuwozere1:
Don’t let childcare worry you, yes it will limit some jobs but there are plenty out there that do local Class 2 work.It might help if you ring around, before committing to any sort of training. This should then help you form your decision making [emoji106]
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If you want an 8ish to 5ish kind of job you could try builders merchants such as travis perkins, MKM etc.
Limiting yourself to those hours will make finding lorry work extremely difficult, builders merchant and skip type work usually start around 7am.
School holidays, govt declared emergency shutdowns, teacher training days, election days (assuming we are allowed to vote again) and what happens if your child is off school sick.
An early start, OR an early finish, are both separately possible. Together its rare. If you can get child care at one end of the day youll be fine, otherwise you will be limited.
Childcare is definitely an issue with haulage jobs.
Here’s another vote for working with a local builders merchants, last one I worked for was 8am start and if you weren’t back at the yard, parked up and out of there by 16:45, the guys in the office were complaining - in many ways that was my favourite haulage job over the years, I could drop the kids off at OOSC en route to work and pick them up long before OOSC closed.
However… for that kind of work you’ll not only need your Class 2 but a “hiab ticket” too, which is more correctly known as a lorry-mounted crane, but in the same way a vacuum cleaner is more often called by it’s brand name, “Hoover”, a lorry mounted crane is generally dubbed a “Hiab” even though there are many other brands.
So that’s a second course you’d need (probably three days for a new starter) and a second outlay of money. If you are going down that route, be aware that: ALLMI is generally the “ticket” most companies want to see, and that will most likely be reflected in the cost of the course, and make sure you get the “remote” component of training, as well as “hook” and “brick-grab” (you could probably skimp on the “clam-shell” element).
To be totally honest my “hiab ticket” isn’t an ALLMI and I’ve never had any problems, but that’s probably because I’ve got the experience to offset that issue.
Hiabs are most definitely cool 
, I’ve often found passers-by are entranced watching hiabs in action, especially parents with kids in tow.
HTH
Thanks guys, those hours are with additional childcare arrangements, I don’t have any family who can help me either unfortunately. Perhaps this is a reason why there arn’t so many women within the industry. Looks like I might have to rethink getting my licence after all which is a real shame as it’s something I’ve always wanted to do.
I’ll keep my eyes peeled and see if there is anything out there that might suit my hours, like you say, working with with a builders merchant etc, given me a bit of hope, but if they want more women doing it, then something has to give. I know it will be easier fo rme once the kids are a bit older but they’re both quite young atm.
Doubt I’ll be able to get the ball rolling now on getting my licences anyway with this new lockdown!
I’ll not give up, fingers crossed I’ll get the funding at least
Thanks again guys 
Driver training (and associated training) is most likely not going to stop due to lockdown, it comes under the heading of education and most training providers will vigorously cling to this definition unless the government specifically puts the mockers on it.
The real bug bear are the DVSA Test Examiners 
if they choose not to interpret the rules in the same helpful manner, training will have to stop.
Not the best recommended idea but this can work for some …
If training is still going ahead but not testing then do the training followed by a refresher and test when testing restarts 
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but think with the hours you have available to work and no extra childcare support it will be impossible for you to find a suitable job, as you can guarantee in transport if it can go wrong it will from road closure accidents and delayed deliveries it is impossible to guarantee a finish time and you won’t know it’s going wrong until the last possible moment, and that’s not taking into account any breakdowns or an extra tacho break of 45 mins needed when you are only 15 mins from home as you have run out of driving time it is one of the reasons there are very few women as it’s not very family friendly.
emski77:
Hi guys,I’m hoping to get funding towards getting my licence through CILT via Aspire funding, has anyone had any success through them?
Hopefully I’ll find out next week, but with the new lockdown happening I’m fearing all my chances of becoming a HGV driver are out the window.
Secondly, I’ve 2 children, and I am limited to hours I can work from between 8 - 5, do I stand a chance of even getting a job with being limited to childcare?
Thanks,
Emma
Sorry for the laughter but you’ve got 2 Hope’s: Bob Hope and No Hope. And Bob Hope is dead.
You won’t be working as a trucker doing 8 til 5. Even yard based jobs like shunting at big RDCs usually work on a 6-2-10-6 pattern for 8 hr shifts, but even those are few and far between - most are 12 hr shifts now 6-6. Out on the road, you’ve zero chance of 8 til 5. No company would take you on under those terms because you’d be more hassle than you’re worth - one delay at a drop or an RTA on the motorway and you’d be straight on the phone crying about your kids and how you need to be back. If you want fixed hours 8 til 5 then you should be applying for office work not road haulage. Save your money.
What time do the dustcarts start? I seem to recall they can be short shifts, least what i’d seen advertised round here, but might get going too early to suit.
Mick Bracewell:
Bob Hope is dead.
Celebrity Snuffits is a separate thread
njl:
What time do the dustcarts start? I seem to recall they can be short shifts
Around here they are picking up at 6am and they have a half hour drive, so prob 4 to 5am but early finishes.
I don’t think any transport job would guarantee those hours beyond perhaps local van work. Nothing even night trunking to a limited number if depots goes to plan when roads are involved (and that’s without
4 hour breakdowns).
To be honest, if the “charity” funding these courses isn’t taking viability into account, I just hope its not public money they are spending.
lilac lady:
it is one of the reasons there are very few women as it’s not very family friendly.
Ahem… Some single Dads who have their kids living with them are truck drivers too.
Emma, I may get heavily criticised for even daring to suggest it, but if you are brave and a bit “bookish” you could consider training to be a Transport Manager. There’s tons of previous posts on this subject and it need not be any more expensive than doing your Class 2. In brief, a two week course, two quite challenging exams (A level equivalent) and would cost about £1000. It’s not for the faint-hearted though, so be warned.
Hi Emma, a very warm welcome to you on Trucknet, all I can suggest is driving around to transport companies to make your enquiries, if you check the DVSA website under the subject of applications and decisions, these pages list one man band’s to small to large operators in your area, their address is supplied then a Google search for their contact information.
I would not give up and take the advice here with a pinch a salt, if you want to be a HGV driver, you will be one.For working 8 am to 17.00 there is car or lorry parts delivery in vans, that way you can listen out for internal vacancies that have not been advertised publicly yet.
Just hang around the creosote dispenser, oh no, I meant the coffee vending machine.
When the kids grow up, are you contemplating driving abroad?
Hi guys,
Thanks for the reassuring posts. My current job involves lots of driving so I am aware of how traffic and accidents happen, and I do have emergency backup if I ever need it.
I have been looking at jobs online and I have come across jobs that are working those hours, so I am hopeful that I will find something suitable when the times comes. If not, then I’ll stuck with my current job until I find something.
I have had news today that my funding has been submitted and should hear back in a couple of weeks, so fingers crossed.
I am very much looking forward to travelling abroad when the kids are older, absolutely. My brother has just landed a job travelling to Ireland so he is made up.
Thanks again for the positive posts
Mick Bracewell:
emski77:
Hi guys,I’m hoping to get funding towards getting my licence through CILT via Aspire funding, has anyone had any success through them?
Hopefully I’ll find out next week, but with the new lockdown happening I’m fearing all my chances of becoming a HGV driver are out the window.
Secondly, I’ve 2 children, and I am limited to hours I can work from between 8 - 5, do I stand a chance of even getting a job with being limited to childcare?
Thanks,
Emma
Sorry for the laughter but you’ve got 2 Hope’s: Bob Hope and No Hope. And Bob Hope is dead.
You won’t be working as a trucker doing 8 til 5. Even yard based jobs like shunting at big RDCs usually work on a 6-2-10-6 pattern for 8 hr shifts, but even those are few and far between - most are 12 hr shifts now 6-6. Out on the road, you’ve zero chance of 8 til 5. No company would take you on under those terms because you’d be more hassle than you’re worth - one delay at a drop or an RTA on the motorway and you’d be straight on the phone crying about your kids and how you need to be back. If you want fixed hours 8 til 5 then you should be applying for office work not road haulage. Save your money.
If I wanted office work I would be working in an office, and who said anything about crying about my kids?! Bit harsh! I work on the road as it is, I can deal with issues, I’m not one to cry when things go wrong so making assumptions like that is pretty petty in all fairness. I’ve come here for advice, not to be ridiculed.