11,000 people to be trained to become HGV drivers

The government has announced free courses for adults to train to be HGV drivers – as part of a package of measures to ease driver shortages and support supply chains this Christmas and beyond. Up to 11,000 people could be trained to become HGV drivers as the first free intensive short courses get under way.

Free ‘Skills Bootcamps’ in HGV driving have opened up across the country to help speed-up the training process in an attempt to address the UK’s driver shortage. People that successfully complete the HGV courses are guaranteed a job interview with an employer, and the first drivers are expected to be on the road from March 2022.

The courses are available now in locations across the country and will also support existing drivers to refresh or upgrade their skills so they can to get back on the road.

The Department for Education announced on Friday (10 December) it has boosted capacity for even more people to just over 11,000 places – backed by £34 million. Courses are in high demand with more than 2,000 people having already expressed an interest in signing up with the National Career Service and hundreds more through Jobcentre and the DfE helpline.

To ensure more people can take their test sooner, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is also making capacity available for 500 more HGV driving tests a week, equivalent to up to 26,000 more per year.

Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi said, “HGV drivers are vital to keeping this country moving. To help even more people get the training they need to be road ready, we’re expanding our HGV Skills Bootcamps to support more than 11,000 people to gain the skills they need to progress in the industry, and to help those with previous experience refresh their skills so they can get back on the road.”

“The additional HGV testing capacity has been made possible following an overhaul of the testing process. The DVSA has split the HGV and bus driving tests into two parts, so that approved assessors can test the off-road exercise part of HGV and bus tests at their own training sites, freeing up DVSA driving examiners to carry out extra on road tests.”

The measures announced build on the action already under way to ease temporary supply chain pressures and HGV driver shortages, including a temporary visa scheme to make it easier for foreign lorry drivers to work in the UK and support from the Ministry of Defence to increase testing.

Skills Bootcamps form part of the government’s drive to support more adults to get a better job and gain skills for life. They offer free courses of up to 16 weeks, giving people the opportunity to build up sector-specific skills, including digital, construction and green skills and a fast-track to an interview with a local employer.

New figures published on Friday show that more than half (54%) of the 2,210 adults who completed Skills Bootcamps between September 2020 and March 2021 went on to achieve a successful outcome, such as securing a new job, an apprenticeship, a new role or increased responsibilities with their current employer or, for the self-employed, access to new opportunities.