Hi,
Couple of questions, if you’d be so kind.
when you do the training & test to get HGV entitlement, do you get CPC at same time or need to add CPC training on top?
Is there any mileage in using 7.5t entitlement (after getting CPC) to maybe pick up weekend work on 7.5s as experience if then later go to do HGV (if \ when hammer falls on current job)? Would weekend work on top of the desk 9-5 be breaking rules?
Ta
If you already have a cat C1 licence you can do the 35 hours of periodic traiing to get your DCPC qualification card.
Otherwise
Getting qualified as a HGV driver consists of 5 modules, the .gov website lists the 5 modules as part of the Driver CPC but I think that only part 4 is the Initial DCPC
Driving a 7.5t vehicle is better than no experience at all, so yes I would say it’s worth doing if you can.
You will need to be very careful to get your weekly rest periods in, in a 9 to 5 job it may be possible to legally do one shift every week if you can get the shifts at the right time (you’ll need a lot of luck), however people with full time jobs often find they can only legally do one shift every second weekend.
You need to be able to have 45 consecutive hours of rest every week you’re driving HGVs.
Alternatively you can have a 45 hour rest period every second week and at-least 24 hours rest on alternate weeks.
That is a very basic explanation of the weekly rest requirements but it’s a starting point.
Good luck 
Cheers @tachograph
Part 2 is part of the initial CPC too. When I upgraded my 7.5 tonne I didn’t have to do the case studies test because I was already driving and had a valid driver qualification card.
Part 1 is actually two tests, which are booked separately (theory and hazard perception).
Personally I got the medical done, got the provisional, studied for and passed the theory tests before even contacting a training centre to book practical driver training.
Thanks for clarifying that, I wasn’t sure 