Hi everyone,
I’m currently working for the civil service earning around £35k a year. While my current job is flexible and well-paying, I have a strong desire to transition into a career as an HGV driver.
I have several years of experience as a bus driver, which I believe would be beneficial for this new path. I’m specifically looking for advice on how to secure a trainee HGV opportunity in the West Midlands.
Additionally, I’ve heard that there might be government bootcamps available that could potentially provide funding if I secure a provisional offer. Any guidance on how to navigate this process or recommendations on where to look for trainee opportunities would be greatly appreciated.
Also, if anyone knows of any potential employers based in the Black Country area, please let me know.
Thank you in advance for your help!
Regards
Dave
expect to do 12+hour days every day pretty much. if you really want to do it look at all the big companies near you that are always hiring they may have an apprentice scheme but read the fine print all the ones round here expect you to stay with them for a minimum of 2 years. If you dont like it your stuck there.
Why?
If you’ve been sold the idea of big earnings, it would take some considerable time to achieve that as a newbie.
If it’s the desire to drive a big vehicle, that soon wears off when you’re trying to get a very large vehicle down a very narrow road lined with parked cars to get to some small shop, who may then expect you to unload the goods onto their shopfloor - some places have even demanded the driver stack their shelves for them!
Your main issue would be that most companies are highly reluctant to employ new passes, this is an issue with reluctance on behalf of insurance companies to cover newbies - quite understandable IMO.
Also the marketplace is already saturated with inexperienced newly qualified drivers who are struggling to get a start - have a look at Facebook, they’re all over the place.
However, if you’re still keen, and are happy to try to enter what must surely be the most heavily-legislated industry around, where you are given responsibilities far in excess of your remuneration, where you can be fined simply for not doing the job up to the standards that are expected, and, where a road accident can result in you going to jail, then by all means have at it!
Seriously mate…Dont do it.
Why would anybody want to give up a steady well paid job, to earn maybe the same (or less) for far more hours, more hassle, and an abundance of unlimited b/s in this cluster ■■■■ of an industry.
I could not think of anything worse than being a newbie today, at least those of us with a vast experience can field it, duck and dive, and make a go of it.
If you aint the type not to listen to (good) advice,.at least do not give up your job.
Waste…(sorry Spend) your cash on a driving course, and do weekends for an agency to get an insight.
Ok, not entirely legal, but at least after the first couple of weeks you will see what you have been told is true.
I’d have to agree that it would be best to pay for your own course and work on some of your days off through an agency.
Why give up a steady career with decent money for a job you may or may not like and where initially you’ll get less money
Thank you for taking the time to respond. Appreciated.
I would expect and accept a pay cut.
Ive drove buses,bendi busses and trams. So its not about being fascinated with driving a big vehicle lol.
I could go back on the buses at around 15 to 18 per hour. Which i haven’t ruled out. But i would prefer the new vhallenge on class 2.
Those who responded. Im assuming you have seen the ■■■■■ side but are in a decent position now tho?
“Those who responded. Im assuming you have seen the ■■■■■ side but are in a decent position now”
I’m certainly in a decent position now, I’m retired 
1 Like
I’m in a fairly and comparitively ‘decent position’ as you put it, where I do a set job that I actually like doing, tramping on a 4 on 3 off shift pattern.
I like it because I am left alone to my own devices and not constantly hassled on a phone…a rarity these days, and certainly one you would not get as a newbie.
I’m not retired, but I no longer drive for a living, having moved into a different part of the industry (ETM, DGSA, ADR trainer etc).
You haven’t said what your strong desire is to get into being a truck driver as a career change.
That would make people’s responses a bit different but tbh short of a miracle any sane person would say no for all the reasons already outlined.
Too many people are lured by promises of stupid money which is nearly always not obtainable even if maxing out your hours to every hour too possibly can.
There is no shortage of drivers but a shortage of decent jobs paying decent wages.
I’d echo the idea of staying in your full time job whilst you train, then sign up for some agencies to get a taster of what you can expect.
My own personal route was to start driving vans on Sundays with a brewery, to assure myself that I actually enjoyed driving as a job, but I guess you already know that from the bus work. This work also helped me save the money to pay for my Class 2, then later Class 1.
I enjoyed the brewery work and did it most weekends up until passing my Class 1 test. Within a month of passing that, I was lucky to get a supermarket assessment with an agency, and started working with them every other weekend, around my Monday to Friday office job.
I did this for almost 2 years, building up some savings in the process, until the end of 2023 when I decided to make the leap, quitting my full time office job, with the aim to work 3/4 days a week on agency, saving on childcare costs in the process.
So far, so good and I’m still really enjoying the work. Whilst the agency situation is always going to be precarious, it has been a great way to learn on the job, and it will hopefully be sustainable for me for the near-future at least.
35k for how many hours of work right now?
For 40k in driving you’re looking at 50-55 hrs per week over 5 days to give you a ball park figure
Civil service, probably 37hrs a week.
Not to mention the civil service pension, good luck matching that