Will Election Results Lead to More HGV and PCV Training?

The Tory victory in the 2015 General Election was as decisive as it could be. Not only did the Conservatives bring an end to having to share power with the Lib Dems, they also walked away with a mandate to continue the policies UK voters believe have helped grow the economy and put people back to work. The question for the haulage and transport industries is one of whether or not the election results will lead to industry growth. Moreover, if they do, will they lead to more HGV and PCV training also.

The second question is probably the more important of the two. However, in order to know why, the first question needs to be answered. We can do so thanks to a post-election survey commissioned by Pall-Ex, a leading UK and European freight network. The results of the survey are not surprising.

According to the numbers, the average logistics firm believes business will grow as much as 15% over the next five years if the Conservatives’ policies continue. That is on top of the growth the haulage and transport sectors have been enjoying steadily since 2012. Such growth would inevitably lead to a demand for more drivers – not only to account for growth and expansion, but also to replace those who retire or transition to other careers.

As to whether or not the growth will lead to more HGV and PCV training, that is the part industry representatives are worried about. The Pall-Ex survey indicates that the top concern among participating companies is a lack of skills among drivers. Second on the list of concerns are training costs. Companies and their fleet managers are not yet convinced the government will address the ongoing driver shortage with any serious proposals, despite some implied promises made before the election. Let us hope, in this case, that the survey respondents are wrong.

Affordable Training Needed

New drivers who receive their training from the HGV Training Centre have an advantage in that we work with a financing partner enabling our students to spread the cost of training over a manageable timeframe. Not every training company does that. What’s more, there are some drivers who would be excellent as professionals but who hesitate to take training because of the cost. That needs to change.

University students across the UK can apply for several different kinds of financial assistance to complete their educations. Driver training students do not have that luxury. Nonetheless, they ought to. We need to do more to make HGV and PCV training more affordable and more assessable to as many students as possible. That can only happen when political and industry leaders get together to make it happen.

The HGV Training Centre provides HGV and PCV training for students all across the UK. Our more than 45 facilities make taking classes convenient while our fast-paced teaching approach ensures our students learn and retain. If you are ready to train, we are prepared to train you.

Sources:

1. HGV UK – http://www.hgvuk.com/?p=18569