HGV SKILLS BOOTCAMPS – ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW

WHAT ARE THE HGV SKILLS BOOTCAMPS?

The HGV Skills Bootcamps are intense training courses that run up to 16 weeks and are designed to quickly train individuals in the skills required to drive HGV vehicles.

The courses are being rolled out to address the current HGV driver shortage that is impacting the supply lines in the UK.The bootcamps are short intense driving courses that will train applicants to be 'road ready' with either a cat C or cat C&E license.

The plan is to quickly provide a solution to the ongoing HGV driver shortage that we are currently experiencing.

 

WHO CAN APPLY?

You can apply to the HGV Bootcamp if you are aged 19 or over, are employed, self-employed, or have recently become unemployed (in the past 12 months). You also must have a full UK driving license.

Some of the Skills Bootcamps have additional eligibility criteria, so take a look at the details of the particular course you are interested in to be sure you meet all the requirements.

There are a range of courses available to address the varying levels of driving experience needed to address the current supply shortageHere are four categories that might be of interest to you:

 

• LIMITED / NO EXPERIENCE

Apply here if you have no, or limited, experience in HGV driving and you’re interested in starting a new job in the industry

• ADDITIONAL HGV TRAINING

This course will be for those who require additional HGV qualifications, such as Accord Dangereux Routier (“ADR”) or the Petroleum Driver Passport (“PDP”)

• LICENCE UPGRADE

These bootcamps are for those that want to upgrade from driving license category C to category C+E

• RETURNING HGV DRIVERS

These courses are for drivers that are returning to the HGV profession.

 

HOW DO I APPLY?

The Bootcamp Course places will become available in November. You can check the list from mid-November on the government website over here: List of Skills Bootcamps

Once the courses are added to the list, details of how to apply will be made available. The Bootcamps are completely free of charge so you can expect to pay zero fees to sign-up and complete your training.

 

• TRUCK LIGHTING & ACCESSORIES - visit our store

 

WHAT DO THE COURSES COVER?

The Bootcamps will cover all testing, training, and support required to take someone with experience of driving a car all the way through to being a qualified and road-ready HGV driver.

The AEB qualifications in HGV driving are made up of 150 learning hours.  The length of time it will take to deliver this training will depend on your local provider and your own personal circumstances.

The five Level 2 certificates currently available in driving goods vehicles schools are:

• Highfield Level 2 Certificate in Driving Goods Vehicles
• ProQual Level 2 Certificate in Driving Goods Vehicles
• Pearson Edexcel Level Certificate in Driving Goods Vehicles
• ICQ Level 2 Certificate in Driving Goods Vehicles
• SQA Level 2 Certificate in Driving Goods Vehicles

 

ALTERNATIVE TO APPRENTICESHIPS

The bootcamps offer an excellent alternative to apprenticeships, are just 16 weeks long, and funding is available for qualifying applicants where applicable.

It is hoped they will receive applications from unemployed people to retrain, or for existing employees to upskill. 

 

SUPPLY CHAIN CRISIS

Britain is currently gripped by an unprecedented supply chain crisis. One in six adults have been unable to buy essential food and household items in the last two weeks - according to the Office for National Statistics.

And, to make matters worse, almost a quarter of the public have been unable to buy non-essential food items.

The lack of lorry drivers post-Brexit is striking hard on the National economy.

In recent weeks we have witnessed army tanker drivers being deployed to shore up a gap in the supply to petrol stations to ease a fuel shortage.

 

TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE?

Meanwhile, Labour shadow transport secretary Jim McMahon said: “This is a drop in the ocean and it’s clear the Government is either unwilling or unable to grasp the scale of the challenge facing Christmas.

“The industry has warned that for Christmas food deliveries alone, an extra 15,000 drivers will be needed – not to mention the colossal gap ministers have already failed to plan for or properly address.

“If the Prime minister does not treat this crisis with the seriousness that is required and show real ambition in tackling it, working people will continue to pay the price with rising costs, rocketing energy bills and bare shelves this winter.”

 

GOVERNMENT EXPAND BOOTCAMP

The number of Bootcamp places being made available has been expanded. Last month ministers announced that 3,000 places would be made available to train in the Bootcamp.

However, ministers are now expanding the scheme to allow up to 5,000 people to be placed in the Bootcamps and trained as HGV drivers to alleviate the supply chain crisis. 

Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi explained, “To help more people into the industry, we’re expanding our skills bootcamps offer to support 5,000 people to gain the skills they need to be road-ready, and to help those with previous experience refresh their skills so they can get back on the road.”

Mr. Zahawi explained that 2,000 additional places would be added to the “skills bootcamps” to boost the number of lorry drivers.

 

NO SOLUTION FOR CHRISTMAS

One problem with the rollout is – that the courses last up to 16 weeks and will not be starting until next month.

This means by the time they will not be completed until early 2022. They will do nothing to alleviate supply issues running into Christmas.

When Christmas breaks are factored in, and delays with the DVLA, and the time it takes to book the DVSA test, the completion of training could run to the end of March in some cases.

 

GUARANTEED JOBS

The Government has pledged that Bootcamp trainees who successfully complete their training will be guaranteed a job interview with a local employer.

However, we estimate that the first road-ready HGV drivers will not be ready and available until February.

The Government is offering places to those that have limited or no HGV driving experience, people who want to get an additional HGV qualification, those that want to upgrade from driving license category C to category C+E, and people who previously worked in the HGV industry and wish to return.