Driver Academy Group helps 1,300 new HGV drivers get behind the wheel

New data from the Driver Academy Group, the consortium leading the Government-funded HGV driver training, reveals that more than 1,300 HGV driving trainees have passed their practical test and are ready to drive. More than 800 have had an interview and are in jobs or have secured an offer and will be employed by September. Highlighting the success of the scheme for employers, many are returning to their existing employer as HGV drivers or drivers with additional skills.

The Driver Academy Group, led by HGV training specialist HGVC and comprising workforce solutions group Manpower and trade body Logistics UK, has trained around 2,000 drivers. Alongside 1,300 that have passed their practical test, nearly 1,700 drivers have passed their theory test.

Since April the Driver Academy Group is delivering 1,300 partially funded courses for employers. These offer employers a 70% contribution to HGV driver training through the DfE funding. Employers will fund the remaining 30 per cent of the course cost.

Nearly 650 drivers are already in jobs with employers, including logistics businesses, retailers, and supply chain firms. Another 150 have secured job offers and expect to be in employment by September. Qualified drivers are securing starting salaries of up to £40,000.

These drivers are a mix of novice drivers who have gained their Category C or Category C+E HGV licence and existing HGV drivers who have gained new skills. Drivers with new skills include those who have passed specialist licences, such as the ADR or PDP, to deliver hazardous goods and fuel, helping employers train employees with essential skills.

James Clifford, CEO of HGVC, said: “The Government’s Skills Bootcamps in HGV Driving have been a lifeline for the industry, helping both individual candidates and employers get the funding they need to help get behind the wheel. As the long-term driver shortage continues, the Government’s Skills Bootcamps in HGV Driving shows that there continue to be thousands of people in the UK who want to become lorry drivers and many employers who want to develop their people. With the recent extension to the scheme, we’re training even more and helping keep Britain moving.”

The Skills Bootcamps in HGV Driving are open to anyone with a car license aged 19 and over. These Skills Bootcamps in HGV Driving were extended in April this year for a further year. The training courses are available at 60 locations across the country. The flexible programme helps people build up sector-specific skills and fast-track to an interview with a local employer. The Skills Bootcamps are part of the Government’s Lifetime Skills Guarantee, helping everyone gain skills for life. The Department for Education funds the scheme.