HGV Training in Staffordshire

COURSE IN Staffordshire

Staffordshire’s location in central England makes it ideal for an extensive road system that gives travellers access to most other areas of England. In the general vicinity, Birmingham and Manchester are within easy reach of the county. This means that county roads are used extensively by the haulage and transport industries to get goods and passengers to both destinations. Of course, Staffordshire’s local communities are serviced by commercial vehicles as well.

At the heart of the county’s road infrastructure are the M42 and M6 motorways. There are numerous other roads providing access, including the A5 and A34 carriageways. On just about any day of the week, you can step back and observe all sorts of commercial traffic making use of the motorways and carriageways to pass through Staffordshire.

Why do we explain all of this? To help you understand why we established our HGV training in Staffordshire. With logistics so important to the local economy, we felt it was equally important to give drivers local access to training. Anyone living in Staffordshire who wants to become a professional lorry or bus driver can register for our classes without having to worry about moving clear across the country to undergo training. Our local school makes training extremely convenient.

Professional Driving Is a Great Career

Keele University and Staffordshire University both offer opportunities for higher education. But what if higher education is not your thing? What if you have no interest in earning a degree in any particular field? First of all, understand that there is nothing wrong with that. Not everyone has to get a degree. Furthermore, professional driving is a vital occupation that profoundly impacts nearly every aspect of the UK economy.

Did you know that lorries move as much as 70% of the freight that moves around the UK? Without the hard work and dedication of professional HGV and LGV drivers, that freight would go nowhere. Without the logistics sector providing cost-effective transport of consumer goods and supplies, we would pay a lot more for everything from foodstuffs to clothing to electronics. Much of what we take for granted would quickly become unaffordable.

All of that being the case, professional driving is an excellent career choice with lots to offer:

• Competitive Pay – The most recent numbers from the National Career Service suggest that new drivers start between £18,000 and £22,000 annually. Accumulating experience and miles can increase pay to as much as £35,000. Even better, drivers can earn as much as £45,000 by obtaining additional entitlements that allow them to drive specialised vehicles.
• Job Security – There are very few job sectors in the UK that offer the kind of job security you would enjoy as a professional driver. Job security in the logistics sector exists because the industry is short tens of thousands of drivers. You will never have to worry about being out of work if you do your job and obey the law.
• Advancement Opportunities – Despite popular belief, professional driving is not a dead-end job. There are plenty of opportunities for advancement into fleet management, dispatching, driver education, and business management. Experienced drivers transition into new positions all the time.
• Freedom – Working in an office or industrial setting means being confined to the same space all the time. It also means managers are constantly looking over your shoulder. Professional drivers enjoy the freedom of the open road and no need for constant supervision as long as they do what is expected of them. The relative freedom of professional driving is one of its most appealing characteristics.
• Travel – For those who love to travel, professional driving is an opportunity to see virtually all of Europe. Long-haul drivers get to go places they would otherwise never visit; they get to see things most people will never lay their eyes on.

As you can see, professional driving has a lot to offer. Our HGV training in Staffordshire has a lot to offer as well. We can help you make your dreams of becoming a professional driver a reality through high-quality training that gets results. You need only get in touch with us to get the process under way.

A Step-By-Step Process

We believe the best way to train drivers for their future careers is to follow a step-by-step process that ensures success. Our HGV training in Staffordshire is built on a process that has proven to work in the years since our company was first established. Our drivers go on to get their licences and enter the working world in short order, having been trained to the highest standards possible.

The training process at the HGV Training Centre is as follows:

Step #1: HGV Medical and Provisional Entitlement

The first step in the process used to obtain your HGV medical and provisional entitlement paperwork; we provide both. You must then schedule a medical exam with a licenced doctor who will complete and submit the paperwork on your behalf. Meanwhile, you will complete and submit the provisional entitlement application. Our support staff can help you make sure all of this is done correctly.

Step #2: Prepare for the HGV Theory Test

While you wait for your provisional entitlement to arrive in the post (it can take anywhere from 10 business days to several weeks) you will be preparing to take the HGV theory test. This test is a two-part test that includes multiple-choice questions and hazard avoidance videos. We offer all of our students free software to help them prepare.

We encourage students to take our preparation course and to avail themselves of the practice tests in our software. The more students prepare, the greater likelihood they will pass the test at the first attempt.

Step #3: Practical Skills Training

A passing grade on the theory test allows students to progress to practical skills training. This training takes place in the classroom and on a closed driving course. At the HGV Training Centre, our instructors give every student all the help and support necessary to succeed in practical skills training. If you were to struggle at any time, you would only need to speak up. Instructors would make sure you get any extra help and support you need to overcome the challenges.

During practical skills training, you will be booked for the case studies test. You must pass this test in order to get your initial CPC qualification card. The test consists of several scenarios you are likely to encounter in the workplace, along with multiple-choice questions designed to measure how well you understand the issues presented.

Step #4: The Final Two Tests

Our HGV training in Staffordshire concludes with the final two tests required to get your licence. Those tests are the driving skills and practical demonstration tests; both are typically taken during the same session at an approved testing facility. Please note that we send an instructor with each student on the day of the tests to provide extra support and answer any last-minute questions.

Drivers who pass those final tests (more than 90% of our students do) are awarded their commercial driving licences and initial CPC qualification cards. At that point, they can immediately start looking for jobs. We help here is well, by providing job placement assistance to every student who successfully completes training.

Once you have a job, your training does not stop. Professional drivers are required to undergo 35 hours of additional CPC training every five years in order to retain their qualification cards. We provide that ongoing training under the umbrella of JAUPT licencing. You can return to the HGV Training Centre for CPC training throughout your career.

HGV training in Staffordshire is your ticket to a career as a professional driver. If you are interested in a career that offers competitive pay, job security and so much more, we encourage you to consider training with us. You will not regret it.