27 Jan Roll Call! UK Government funds HGV Bootcamps
Overview
As we enter the new year, the UK government have offered £34m of new contracts to training providers in the hope of turning the tables with ongoing drivers’ shortages.
The contracts will give training providers £34m to set “Skills Bootcamps” to train new HGV drivers amidst a severe supply chain crisis. The crisis had been fuelled by the consequences of Brexit which left UK driver numbers reduce by a quarter due to the suspension of one-third of EU drivers and the retirement of British drivers. Furthermore, additional challenges were brought on by COVID-19.
According to data provider, Tussell, the new contracts are set to bring in more value for HGV training compared to the last 8 years, with training expected to reach up to 10,000 new drivers.
Growing interest in HGV roles
The response to the “skills boot camps” have been warmly received by the industry. Since the approval, 2,210 learners who have completed their training between September 2020 and March 2021 have gone on to a new or better job to advance their continuous professional development.
“The response is phenomenal. If you’re going to invest in training a driver, the chances are that that driver is going to get up and leave when offered a higher wage. It gets very difficult to ensure that you get a return on your training investment, which is why some public funding is needed.”
– Richard Weston, strategy director of Mantra Learning
Advocacy for online training
Further support has been cemented through the Department for Education, where options are being considered to extend support for HGV training.
“We want more adults to take advantage of these free courses and get on the path to well-paid careers”
– Alex Bughart, Skills minister
For more information on how the Skills Bootcamps can support your driver’s training, visit: