Passed my class 1 today, was so nervous going into it, but had a really good drive with only 3 minor points.
When does work start to pick up and more jobs start getting advertised? And does anybody know any companies that take on new passes around the Manchester area and the north west?
The harsh truth is that vacancies are falling, companies are going to the wall at a rate of knots, and worst of all from your POV, there are many, many newbies all hitting the employment market with zero experience, therefore very little to offer a potential employer.
If I were you I’d create yourself a basic CV to hand out to employers, get yourself kitted out in a way that makes you look like you’re already at work (hi-viz, boots, gloves, hard hat) then (laboriously) go door-to-door in industrial areas and “put your best foot forward” personality wise, see if you can charm your way into a vacancy. Don’t just rock up randomly asking “Gorrany jobs?”
Make you’re you’re well up on all the things, which from the POV of an employer, makes you a potentially desirable employee: good attitude, willingness to work, knowledge of driver’s hours (and WTD/RTD), how to secure a load, and how to do a decent walk around check. Forget all this “reversing onto a bay without needing to shunt” and all the standard driver talk, it means nothing to the operator.
Plenty of good YouTube vids showing how to do all of those three, I can give you recommendations if you’re interested enough to ask.
Thanks for the reply. I did notice there doesn’t seem to be much about at the minute. There seemed to be a lot more jobs online last year. I should of got a move on and done it a couple of years ago.
There are driving jobs out there. I would mention that C+E is your maximum entitlement, so apply for everything including 7.5 tonne, class 2. You don’t need to do it forever, but someone with some commercial driving experience, such as 1-2 years is going to be of a lot more interest than the guy that has stayed at home because he wanted to go straight into a desirable C+E job on the back of a C+E pass.
There may be differences in the driver job vacancies overall, but there will also be seasonal changes. November, December are usually the busy times of the year and January February, the quietest.
Christmas normally means more retail etc work, and for the rest of the winter building work might be slower than at other times.
Don`t compare now to when the Xmas rush was on.
Are you considering using an agency? I am with 24-7 on HGV-2 and will recommend them
Yes more than likely. I’m just waiting to do my module 4 next week then I’m ready to go.
One of the agencies said there’s a tonne of work up that way. I’m near Stoke personally. I’ve found agencies a bit tricky due to insurance (you’ll hear this a lot) but after about a week of spending every day applying I’ve got 2 x driving assessments booked in for Class 1 work now - just get on it 
Heap big agency speak with forked tongue Kimo Sabay.
Jay Silverheels is spinning in his grave!
Have you done class 2 work in the past? I’m worried by the time i get a driving assessment it will be a month since ive sat in a truck and i would of forgotten what to do.
If you’re really worried you can pay £300 for a 4 hr refresher before hand but if you can drive the truck its fine
Like I said, I have two assessments/jobs lined up next week
Agency promises… Those of us with extensive experience of this industry know it’s best count your chickens after they’ve hatched.
Try asking the whole of TN “Hands up who has been lied to by an agency?”
or,
“Who has had a job cancelled by an agency just as you’re lacing your boots up to leave the house?”
and see what responses you get.
one agency in my local town offered me work where i had to subscribe to a service that offered available shifts and then express interest in the shift and wouldn’t be told if i got the shift till 4 hours before hand
You have to pay? To be registered to work?
Is that legal?
"## Fees and payments for services
Your employment agency can’t charge you a fee for finding or trying to find you work (except in the entertainment sector) but they can charge you for additional non-work-finding services such as buying training or uniforms.
However, they can’t make you use such a fee-paying service provided by them or someone connected to them as a requirement for finding you work."Employment agency rules | nidirect.
i never went that far with them just heard their spiel and never filled in the paper work
OK.
But, they were asking for money to register for work?
That appears to be illegal.
that’s how i took it but if it is illegal maybe not. The lady i was dealing with used the word subscribe so as said i didn’t bother going further.
Mind you I don’t understand how agencies are getting away with using payroll companies and umbrella companies with all the assorted dodges with them
It’s certainly immoral (by my standard) and exploitative (if you’re the vulnerable type) but I suspect that T’s & C’s for “subscription services” might potentially allow it