HGV Training in Suffolk

COURSE IN Suffolk

Suffolk is like many other parts of England in that it relies on multiple industries to stoke the local economy. The county has quite a bit of agricultural land, plenty of coastline for tourism, towns that rely on strong retail, and even space for light industrial and manufacturing. Suffolk runs the full gamut of economic sectors and job opportunities.

What you may not know is that there are companies in Suffolk in desperate need of licenced HGV and LGV drivers. Across the country, companies in the haulage and transport industries need tens of thousands of drivers to fill open positions. Not only that, the current driver shortage is expected to get worse before it gets better. Pending retirements and the expanding economy are creating a perfect storm of not enough drivers to drive all of the available vehicles.

Our aim at the HGV Training Centre is to change things. We are contributing to the solution, in part, through our HGV training in Suffolk. Our local school is just one of more than four dozen scattered across the United Kingdom. You can train in Suffolk to become a professional driver yourself.

Training consists of three primary components:

• Classroom Training – In the classroom, our students learn all of the book knowledge necessary to be safe and proficient drivers. The topics we cover in the classroom range from driving regulations to equipment handling to the actual physics of driving. All of this information must be learned, absorbed, and retained.
• Hands-On Training – The hands-on training our students undergo is similar in principle to the training you would find in other job sectors. Drivers actually sit behind the wheel of a late-model vehicle in order to learn and practice the necessary skills to drive safely. That is what hands-on training is all about.
• Testing – Lastly, there are four separate tests drivers must take at various points in the training process. Each of these tests is designed to measure certain core competencies and skills sets. Drivers unable to pass the tests cannot get a commercial driving licence. Therefore, our classroom and hands-on training are specifically geared toward making sure our students pass.

We are extremely proud of our HGV training in Suffolk and the results it achieves. Every month we put a new class of drivers through a comprehensive training programme that prepares them to pass their tests, get their licences, and get into the workforce in short order. In under two months, you could be ready to look for work yourself.

Different Licences for Different Jobs

We reference both HGV and LGV driver training only because there are different licence categories for different jobs. Just as a matter of reference, we also offer PCV driver training as well. All of our training is geared toward helping students earn licences in the following categories:

• Category C1 and C1+E – These two licences are intended for cargo vans, small box trucks and the like. They are the ideal licences for local delivery drivers involved in things such as small package delivery.
• Category C and C+E – These two licences are intended for larger vehicles including articulated lorries, tipper trucks, bin lorries, and a variety of construction equipment. Most of the drivers we train are interested in one of these two licences.
• Category D and D+E – The D licences are intended for drivers of coaches, buses, and minibuses. Training for these licences is slightly different due to the fact that passengers are transported rather than inanimate cargo.

Some aspects of training are identical regardless of the licence being sought. For example, there are certain rules relating to drivers’ hours that apply across the board. Likewise, other aspects of training are licence-specific. We would not need to train the future bus driver in the principles of transporting liquid fuel, nor would the HGV driver have to learn regulations relating to passenger capacities.

Not sure what kind of licence you need? That’s not a problem. We invite you to call and speak with one of our training specialists in Suffolk. We can help you determine the right licence based on the kind of job you are looking to get. Please bear in mind that the higher your licence category, the more vehicles you will be eligible to drive.

Driving Is Not Just a Job

When you register for our HGV training in Suffolk, you are just beginning the process of establishing a new career. Let’s be clear: professional driving is a career; it is not merely a job unless you choose to treat it as such. We hope you don’t. Why? Because professional driving has a lot to offer that you will not find in other careers. There are plenty of reasons professional drivers do what they do from their early 20s all the way to retirement.

Unfortunately, professional driving has an unfair reputation for being a job of last resort for people who cannot manage to do anything else. Yet the reality is quite different. The truth is that not everybody can drive large commercial vehicles for a living. Professional driving requires a tremendous amount of knowledge, skill, self-control, and attention to detail. The requirements of the work are such that professional driving is a career unlike any other.

Is it the right career for you? That depends. If you are looking for competitive pay in line with national averages, driving an HGV or LGV might be just what you are looking for. If you’re interested in job security, few other careers offer the level of security you get from professional driving. Perhaps you are interested in a career that offers room for advancement. If so, professional driving fits the bill. Becoming an HGV or LGV driver is certainly an excellent option if you want a job that will allow you to travel while you work.

Training Does Not Take Long

After all you have read in this guide thus far, it now comes down to whether you are serious about receiving HGV training in Suffolk. Keep in mind that training is what will make it possible for you to obtain your commercial driving licence. The sooner you get started, the sooner you will have that licence in hand and be able to apply for jobs.

You need to know that we employ a fast-paced and intense training approach that does not waste your time or your money. Rather than spending 6 to 12 months (or even longer) in training, you could finish your classes at our school in a matter of weeks. Training does not take long because it does not need to.

In order for you to train, you must already have a valid Category B licence. Having that licence demonstrates that you already know the fundamental principles of driving. This means your HGV training in Suffolk is not starting from scratch. It is simply taking the skills and knowledge you already possess and further developing them to account for the differences between cars and large commercial vehicles. You do not have to learn years’ worth of information because you already know how to drive.

In addition to this fundamental principle, our training approach makes fast and concentrated learning possible by utilising short-term memory. We teach our students in a way that causes them to remember what they have learned and recall it when taking tests. In fact, more than 90% of our students pass their tests at the first attempt.

In just a few weeks, you could complete your HGV training in Suffolk. In under two months, you could complete the entire process starting with undergoing a medical exam and culminating with receiving your commercial driving licence and initial CPC qualification card. Yes, you did read that correctly. You can complete the entire process in under two months.

There are companies in Suffolk in need of your services right now. The only thing hindering you from getting one of the open jobs is the lack of a commercial driving licence. But you can change that by registering for HGV training in Suffolk. We urge you to contact the HGV Training Centre today for more information. We can get you signed up for the very next class in your area.