Phone call this morning asking me to visit firm for a meeting on Monday, had to put him back till after my Class 1 training and test.
Told me he’s happy to take me on with no experience as I’m keen and honest. Said the firm will be happy to train me and let me do some job shadowing.
What a great start to my weekend, a very good chance at employment next week.
Had my interview today, I start a job next Monday driving Class 2’s whilst I wait for my Class 1 test which was cancelled by DSA 
I never went the agency route as I was found a good job paying a very good wage and were willing to take me on as a complete newbie and teach me the ropes.
Took my test around Garrets Green test station today and I passed my Class 1 first time with 6 minors.
Well folks that’s me done. I’m a proud owner of a C+E entitlement and I have a job which is class 2 but they will put me in a class 1 in the new year. I go from early morning multi drops to night shift trunking.
Thanks for following, have a happy xmas and new years,
Regards,
CMH
I’ve been following this since the start. Excellent news & well done. An object lesson for others to follow in how to get started in this business.
Slackbladder:
I’ve been following this since the start. Excellent news & well done. An object lesson for others to follow in how to get started in this business.
Thanks for that Slackbladder, appreciate it pal.
All I will say to anybody is to have a plan, write down each stage and plan it bit by bit. One hurdle after another but sooner or later the finish line is crossed.
Look forward to 2014, new career and no more bloody hurdles or doom-mongers on here saying it’s a waste of money and there’s no jobs, I go along with the hundreds already as defiance to these myths.
Take care folks.
Well Done.
Nice to see it’s worked out for you.
Congratulations and best of luck for the New Year! 
Should hear about the class 1 routes tomorrow, but I have already started sending C.V’s out to other firms in the hope of a more suiting start time. It’ll be a shame to leave the firm I am at as the guys are helpful, patient and genuinely good people. I’m hoping our depot gets some class 1 routes due to a culmination of start times, experience and of course wages.
Happy 2014 TNUK, I sincerely hope it’s a prosperous year for you all.
Now in full time employment driving class 1’s. In my old job I called around, sent numerous C.V’s and heard little other than they will keep me on file. Not joking and I say this on my life, I have received no fewer than ten offers of ongoing work all within 20 miles of me. Things are picking up and all you need to do is find somewhere decent, not so much about money but for experience and a good place to work for. I got stung early but learned so so much.
I also recommend offering to work a day for free to learn the ropes. That initial offer got me the job I’m doing now and I got paid for working that day.
Take care newbs, things are looking up and the future is what you make it. Listen to the helpful older-heads on here with valid and constructive advice and keep chipping away until you get where you want to be.
CMH
Bump,
Just had a look at Newbie Section and thought I would add some info based on my experiences so far.
I have had my licences for just over two years now. That golden tag employers and agencies demand it seemed, or so it seemed. Truth is a good attitude and enthusiasm is all you need. I started out working for a cowboy outfit, seemed ok at the start but as each day passed it got worse and I left. I took a pay cut to drive artics everyday instead of covering tacho days at old ■■■■■■ place. It paid dividends!
After 6 month at that place I applied for better paying jobs and started to deliver scrap metal nationwide. Superb learning as each scrapyard was differeng and posed its own challenges, also wages went up as more hours at work and lucrative time and half after 45. Cleared 500 a week for doing just over 55hours. Then redundancy came due to crash in metal prices. I did a stint for Culina who are a great outfit if you are the type who likes routine and taking it easy but sitting in RDCs for hours killed me, just couldnt do it, each to their owm I suppose, a bonus is that I did read 4 books in a single week once and I loved the Sunday trunks up to the lakes. But as said, most work is RDC and its not for me (same as containers). I applied speculatively for plant delivery, I struck well and got an interview and assessment drive, passes and done that since. I dont speak about money to people I know but given most of us appl8ed to be drivers as we share mutual enjoyment im driving and pursue a decent salary, well Plant is where it is at. I love it, everyday is different and no working weekends unless I ask to for O.T. From Schools, to ■■■■■■ prisons, to Supermarkets, Abbeys and Football stadiums.
Dont be detered, go for it, dont be scared of miving around to hone your skills and widen your understanding of the industry. Dont get stuck in comfortable ruts and dont be frightened to always throw yourseld in the deepend. I started off working 3am, loading chilled good divvering my ■■■■■■■■ off, working Saturdays and bank hols. In the soace of two years I earn 10k more now and do Mon to Fri, 6am starts for 10-11hour days. Paid roughly the same as ADR tanker drivers. If I can do it, you can too, I am nobody special.
Take care and all the beat of health, fortune and success.
Very inspiring post, you obviously had a dream and were determined to carry it through. I passed my class 1 yesterday and my mod 4 on monday so im about to start my little journey. I have at present a secure job but just driving a 3.5 ton ■■■■■■ pickup doing quite local drops and im bored to death. I earn about 26k before tax so pay very good for type of job but as i say v dull. I cant wait to drive a proper artic, got a few options so see how it pans out over the next few months.
Thats a good wage to be honest.
I recommend staying there for now, speak to agencies and do a Saturday or Sunday every fortnight on Artics. Get up steam and one of the firms you cover for are likely to take you on if there is a vacancy.
Try Culina (28k +), Pentalver (similar wage to what you earn now) and then you have Downtons etc. All the best fella
As someone who is just starting to investigate the possibility of making a career change this is an interesting and inspiring post, thanks.
RDC = regional distribution centres? Presumably you get paid for the time you spend waiting around there, so would seem like easy money but quite boring? Clearing £500 doing 55 hours with a relatively routine pattern of work sounds great to me. Though it would drive some people nuts I can understand.
TBH sounds like you have achieved what most newbies here are aiming for… decent job, decent money, career enjoyment, etc.
If you want to go on the agency I’ll split the bonus with you? (£100 for me after you do 15 shifts).
Logged on for first time in a while.
Just checking in to say I’m enjoying low loader jobs. 12 25ph for 45hrs then x1.33 o.t and mon to fri with no nights out. Been doing a while now, love it. Pull up machine off, crack on to next place. Spoken to and treated well as customers need machines and collections tend to be straight forward. I guarantee yiu plant work is the pick of the bunch. From what I hear, A Plant and Nationwide Platforms are taking on, jump on it!