The government has announced it is extending the hgv boot camp courses. For another 12 months.
Altough you have to do 16 weeks re education courses. But after that you get funded / part funding towards you hgv licence.
Full info below if anyone is interested.
If there actually is a shortage of guys wanting to become drivers, maybe there’s a message in there somewhere eh? 
Make the job attractive again, start by spending the money on the crap infrastructure instead,.then take a look at the ridiculously hours most are expected to work every week, and the crap t.s and c.s, sort it and there will be no need for any government funding.
robroy:
If there actually is a shortage of guys wanting to become drivers, maybe there’s a message in there somewhere eh?
Make the job attractive again, start by spending the money on the crap infrastructure instead,.then take a look at the ridiculously hours most are expected to work every week, and the crap t.s and c.s, sort it and there will be no need for any government funding.
You’ve been smoking illegal substances again Rob 
Uncleskid:
robroy:
If there actually is a shortage of guys wanting to become drivers, maybe there’s a message in there somewhere eh?
Make the job attractive again, start by spending the money on the crap infrastructure instead,.then take a look at the ridiculously hours most are expected to work every week, and the crap t.s and c.s, sort it and there will be no need for any government funding.You’ve been smoking illegal substances again Rob
Thing is though the reluctance of new driver candidates is a symptom, not the disease.
The massive increase in the ability to work from home has just made it even harder to recruit drivers. Why go for a job where you’re out even a normal 40hrs a week in all weathers when you can sit in your nice warm home in your joggies and dressing gown to work?
My mate…
Actively encouraged his lad not to get into haulage.
After two years studying part time at college courses and work experience with his employer, he’s now a qualified accountant.
You can tell which car belongs to who on the drive when you walk up. Big expensive two year old German coupe next to his dad’s 8 year old Vauxhall Dullard.
Nuff said.
robroy:
Thing is though the reluctance of new driver candidates is a symptom, not the disease.
As far as I can see there’s no let up in candidates wanting driver training, certainly not at the school I have links with.
As for advising your kids not to choose it as a career, I’ve already had that conversation with my eldest: why would you want your offspring to choose a “career” where:
You’re just a ■■■■ on a seat
Get referred to impersonally as “Drive” like you’re a piece of the hardware
Get told what hours you will work, which potentially might fluctuate on daily basis, messing up any chance of a life outside of work
Also told how short your breaks should be
Try to abide by the ever increasing laws and regs, only to find the operator tells you to ignore this, that and the other
And of course, put yourself in the firing line for prosecution when it all goes wrong.
I’d rather my kids chose careers where they aren’t risking getting fined or going to jail, just because they made a mistake at work.
yourhavingalarf:
My mate…Actively encouraged his lad not to get into haulage.
After two years studying part time at college courses and work experience with his employer, he’s now a qualified accountant.
You can tell which car belongs to who on the drive when you walk up. Big expensive two year old German coupe next to his dad’s 8 year old Vauxhall Dullard.
Nuff said.
So poor, he’s still living at home? Was that the message you were making?
I meet lots of young people who cant drive. Some have no interest in learning to drive at all. Driving is very expensive (always has been). There are better jobs out there. Fifty odd years ago I was saving my paper round wages so that I could pay for driving lessons. I dont think that idea could be sold to young folk nowadays.
Zac_A:
robroy:
Thing is though the reluctance of new driver candidates is a symptom, not the disease.As far as I can see there’s no let up in candidates wanting driver training, certainly not at the school I have links with.
As for advising your kids not to choose it as a career, I’ve already had that conversation with my eldest: why would you want your offspring to choose a “career” where:
You’re just a ■■■■ on a seat
Get referred to impersonally as “Drive” like you’re a piece of the hardware
Get told what hours you will work, which potentially might fluctuate on daily basis, messing up any chance of a life outside of work
Also told how short your breaks should be
Try to abide by the ever increasing laws and regs, only to find the operator tells you to ignore this, that and the other
And of course, put yourself in the firing line for prosecution when it all goes wrong.I’d rather my kids chose careers where they aren’t risking getting fined or going to jail, just because they made a mistake at work.
Yep,.I’ve said a few times on here on this subject, that I actively discouraged both my grown up (allegedly 
) lads from this game.
Both travelled all over UK and Europe with me as kids and knew the score with the job…they would have made good drivers I am sure of that.
My eldest (sorry I bore everybody with this at every opportunity, it’s just proud Dad syndrome 
) is a service manager at a Ford dealership,.who has mechanical master tech certificates that only a handful of Ford mechanics in the country have.
My youngest starts a new job soon there also, as Bodyshop manager when they open up their new venture spray booths…
Both lads are on more money than me,.and by far much better t.s & c.s., but the last bit goes without saying. 
So I reck I did the right thing,.and feel very pleased with myself. 
yourhavingalarf:
My mate…Actively encouraged his lad not to get into haulage.
After two years studying part time at college courses and work experience with his employer, he’s now a qualified accountant.
You can tell which car belongs to who on the drive when you walk up. Big expensive two year old German coupe next to his dad’s 8 year old Vauxhall Dullard.
Nuff said.
Then again can you imagine just looking at numbers on spreadsheets all day - how dull!
Marky-p:
yourhavingalarf:
My mate…Actively encouraged his lad not to get into haulage.
After two years studying part time at college courses and work experience with his employer, he’s now a qualified accountant.
You can tell which car belongs to who on the drive when you walk up. Big expensive two year old German coupe next to his dad’s 8 year old Vauxhall Dullard.
Nuff said.
Then again can you imagine just looking at numbers on spreadsheets all day - how dull!
Where as same run everyday with beans or bog rolls to.Tesco, day in day out, …or something equally as mind numbing, isn’t.?
It’s like everything else, it depends what you do.and how you go about doing it.
Conor:
The massive increase in the ability to work from home has just made it even harder to recruit drivers. Why go for a job where you’re out even a normal 40hrs a week in all weathers when you can sit in your nice warm home in your joggies and dressing gown to work?
Doesn’t suit everyone. I’ve hated working from home. The lack of distinction between home and work gets you down. Not an uncommon feeling.
yourhavingalarf:
My mate…Actively encouraged his lad not to get into haulage.
After two years studying part time at college courses and work experience with his employer, he’s now a qualified accountant.
You can tell which car belongs to who on the drive when you walk up. Big expensive two year old German coupe next to his dad’s 8 year old Vauxhall Dullard.
Nuff said.
I get lots of messages from people like this blokes lad when they get into their 50’s and 60’s, who never became drivers despite wanting to because their parents and everyone else put them off. Trust me the particular car you drove decades ago won’t have much relevance when older. I was lucky, my parents simply said ‘do what makes you happy, that’s all we want’
switchlogic:
yourhavingalarf:
My mate…Actively encouraged his lad not to get into haulage.
After two years studying part time at college courses and work experience with his employer, he’s now a qualified accountant.
You can tell which car belongs to who on the drive when you walk up. Big expensive two year old German coupe next to his dad’s 8 year old Vauxhall Dullard.
Nuff said.
I get lots of messages from people like this blokes lad when they get into their 50’s and 60’s, who never became drivers despite wanting to because their parents and everyone else put them off. Trust me the particular car you drove decades ago won’t have much relevance when older. I was lucky, my parents simply said ‘do what makes you happy, that’s all we want’
Well personally speaking my conscience is clear on that score.
I also have never tried usually to dissuade my kids about stuff they wanted to do, but I made an exception on this one.
If my boys had been that age 30 yrs ago.I’d have felt different, but I did not want them to get into a run of the mill ■■■■ poor ‘modern logistic’ micro managed cluster ■■■■ of over regulation type exiseltence,
As it turns out they are both happy in their jobs as pigs in ■■■■,.with lots of future opportunities to better themselves.
So imo…vindicated.
I know that you love the life of a driver Luke,.as did I once,…and tbh up to a point I’m still content in what I do.
But when I look back at all the things I’ve missed concerning my wife and kids, I’ve come to the conclusion there is far more to life,.and far more important things than spending it in a ■■■■ truck…No matter how many spots and bars it may have and whether or not it is a Vshit 8.
Would I do it again…NO.
To be fair yours and my experience of the job and general outlook does appear to be radically different so there’s that.
Not everyone follows the same career for an entire working lifetime.
If one qualifies in another sector first, then there is normally the opportunity to train as a truck driver later. It rarely goes the other way around.
Encourage kids to get some proper qualifications, but dont stand in their way later on. Not much work for youthful drivers anyway, so they wont be missing much if they stay out of transport until they are older.
Keep options open for as long as possible.
switchlogic:
To be fair you’re and my experience of the job does appear to be radically different so there’s that.
Well yeah you’re probably right, I’ve done a bit of Euro, but maybe not to a lot of places you have done, so not all crappy UK short radius jobs by any means.
I also drove as a young single lad where my opinions and ideas were a lot different.
I would never show disrespect and try to play play top trumps with you, nor use the ‘miles in reverse’ b/s, , as I have you down as a proper and experienced driver, but my point is with a few more years under your belt you may (or may not) feel similar about the job as I do now.
We’ll wait and see. 
robroy:
switchlogic:
To be fair you’re and my experience of the job does appear to be radically different so there’s that.Well yeah you’re probably right, I’ve done a bit of Euro, but maybe not to a lot of places you have done, so not all crappy UK short radius jobs by any means.
I also drove as a young single lad where my opinions and ideas were a lot different.
I would never show disrespect and try to play play top trumps with you, nor use the ‘miles in reverse’ b/s,
We’ll wait and see.
Indeed, just to clarify my post wasn’t said as a put down, we all have different outlooks, often created as we grow up. Funnily enough though I’ve had people say through my whole career ‘give it a few more years and you’ll see’ Well I gave it 26 and I still loved it so I don’t think any more will change my opinion But that’s academic anyway since I’m no longer a driver
Franglais:
Not everyone follows the same career for an entire working lifetime.If one qualifies in another sector first, then there is normally the opportunity to train as a truck driver later. It rarely goes the other way around.
Encourage kids to get some proper qualifications, but dont stand in their way later on. Not much work for youthful drivers anyway, so they wont be missing much if they stay out of transport until they are older.Keep options open for as long as possible.
I personally did not see it as ‘‘standing in their way’’.
As a parent I saw it as my duty to show thrm a bit of guidance if I thought they were making a bad move,.which I did…and tbh they both have a lot of me in them, so if they had been fully determined they would have ignored my advice anyway and just done it.
They have both excelled in their careers even though both of them just ■■■■ ed around in school,.and came away with nothing as far as academic qualifications go.
Difference between them and me is,… I did come out of school.with decent academic qualifications,.and more later on in college for further education, …but still managed to end up with a crappy type career.
Where as they left school with jack sh ,.and both have good and promising well paid careers. 
So IF I actually DID stand in their way over this,.they did not come out of it so bad.