If you had to choose a single word or phrase to describe the preparations necessary to embark on a career, what would you choose? At the HGV Training Centre, we like to compare what we do for students to a road that must be travelled to reach a given destination. The destination for our students is a career as either an HGV or PCV driver; the road is the process they follow to embark on their careers.
The road analogy helps our students to fully grasp the principle that becoming a professional driver is not an overnight thing. Yes, our fast and intensive training approach results in licencing in just a few weeks for most drivers. Still, you cannot complete training in a single session. You will not even complete all of your training in our programme. Training for professional drivers is an ongoing thing that continues throughout an individual’s career.
With all of that said, your road to a career as a PCV driver can start here at the HGV Training Centre. Our company exists for one purpose and one purpose only: to train drivers to be the best they can be. We train brand-new drivers looking to obtain a commercial driving licence as either independent contractors or company drivers. We also train experienced drivers in order to help them comply with CPC mandates. Finally, we train company drivers on behalf of employers who utilise remedial training to improve performance and increase efficiency.
Professional Drivers in High Demand
Is a career as a PCV driver right for you? Only you can answer that question, but we can tell you that professional bus drivers are in high demand right now. According to a 2014 report from Careers that Move, 55% of the jobs most difficult to fill within the broad spectrum of passenger transport employment are bus driving jobs. Employers say these jobs are hard to fill because there are simply not enough drivers to meet the demand.
Statistics from throughout the haulage and transport industries routinely show a combined shortage of tens of thousands of drivers at the current time. But it gets worse. Some estimates suggest that more than 100,000 new drivers will be needed by 2020 in order to keep up. It should be clear that the reliable and productive PCV driver is someone who will be in demand throughout his or her entire career.
Why is demand important? Because the law of supply and demand has a huge impact on how lucrative a career path is. For example, consider what the driver shortage means to employers so desperate to fill open positions. In order to compete for such a limited number of workers, employers are having to increase pay and be more generous with additional benefits. Driver salaries continue to rise commensurate with demand.
Start Training Right Now
The high demand for licenced PCV drivers suggests that now is the right time to begin training. If you need work, there is no practical reason to delay your training as long as you have the means to get started right away. The sooner you complete training, the sooner you will have a PCV licence. That licence will enable you to begin looking for work.
Our PCV driver training covers the full range of topics you will need to learn and understand in order to be a successful driver. Rather than listing all the subjects here, we can consolidate them into three primary categories:
- Driving Theory – You will have to pass a PCV theory test in order to begin practical skills training. We will prepare you for that test through our theory class. Once you begin practical skills training, there will be additional theory for you to learn in the classroom. This includes things such as understanding how buses work, how weather affects them, and how to drive in a manner that protects passengers.
- Physical Skills – You will definitely learn the physical skills you need to safely drive a bus or coach. Not only that, we will teach you how to effectively demonstrate those skills when it comes time to be tested. You will spend plenty of time behind the wheel of a late-model bus or coach during this portion of your training.
- Proficiency Skills – Driver CPC requirements now mandate that drivers receive CPC training for the purposes of demonstrating they are proficient and competent. We provide this training as part of your initial licencing package; we also offer ongoing CPC training throughout a driver’s career.
We provide all three categories of training in an environment that is conducive to learning. All resources and materials used in our classes are up to date and relevant to real-world experience. You will also be pleased to know that our instructors are experienced and licenced drivers themselves. They know what you are likely to encounter as a professional because they have worked in the industry.
How the Process Works
The HGV Training Centre has developed a clear, step-by-step process that is more than able to have you trained and licenced in just a few weeks. You will not spend month after month in a long and cumbersome training programme that is not conducive to your success. Simply put, we want to get you in, trained, and looking for work as quickly as possible.
The process we utilise in our PCV driver training is as follows:
- Step #1: Medical Exam and Application – The first step is to undergo a routine medical exam and apply for your provincial entitlement. We furnish you with all the necessary paperwork along with the names and contact information for doctors and any help you might need completing and submitting the provisional entitlement application.
- Step #2: Theory Test Preparation – The time spent waiting for your provisional entitlement to arrive in the post is a good time to begin preparing for the PCV theory test. We provide our students with test preparation software as well as the opportunity to take a preparation class.
- Step #3: Undergo Practical Skills Training – Passing both parts of the theory test enables the driver to begin practical skills training. This training will prepare the students for the remaining three tests that will have to be passed in order to get a licence.
- Step #4: Take the Remaining Tests – The completion of training means it is time to take your remaining tests. We book them on your behalf and send a trainer with you to the testing facility on the day of your exam. Passing the tests will result in the awarding of a commercial driving licence.
- Step #5: Apply for a Job – The fifth and final step of the process is to apply for work. All of our students have access to our up-to-date jobs database as well as the full support of our job placement staff. We will do everything we can to help you find work quickly.
Our five-step process is essential on your road to a career as a PCV driver. We stand by your side every step of the way, providing all the help and support you need to be successful. By the time you walk out our doors for the last time, you will be on your way to the career you have worked so hard for.
You can be a successful bus or coach driver with the right training and enough help and support. We are here to provide both at the HGV Training Centre. If you are ready to go, your career as a successful PCV driver can begin here and now.
Additional Information on Becoming an PCV Driver
Choosing to follow a path to a career in PCV driving is a big decision for anyone and we hope the following articles will help to make that journey easier.
- Intensive Bus Driver Training For Your PCV Licence
- Find the Best Coach Driver Training Courses Near You Today!
- Get the Best PCV Minibus Licence Training in Your Location
- The UK PCV Driving Licence Explained
- The Road to a Career as a PCV Driver Starts Here
- Low Cost – Top Quality – PCV Driver Training Courses
- The Driver’s Guide to Passing Your PCV Licence
- Top Tips on How to Pass the PCV Theory Test
- The UK’s Top PCV Training Schools at Your Fingertips
- How to Really Compare PCV Training Costs
- What’s the Difference between a PCV and a PSV Licence?
