In March of this year, ANTA Education received funding from the DWP to train and support unemployed individuals in Herefordshire in gaining their Heavy Goods Vehicle licences.
The sector has been under pressure and understaffed for some time due to an aging workforce and changes in regulations. The additional impact of Brexit and the pandemic put even more pressure on an already strained industry.
ANTA led 10 learners through our ‘Driving Goods Vehicles for Work’ course. They were shown what it’s really like to be an HGV driver, managing their expectations around working hours, conditions and expectations so they could decide if it was the right career for them. We also had a visitor from the local Pertemps agency who talked through the sorts of jobs that were available for drivers.
The course also covered the costs for the theory test, as well as the necessary medicals and checks required to work on the road. We also supported them with employability skills like timekeeping and building their CVs. The learners came from a mixture of backgrounds and abilities, and it was great to have five women on the course interested in joining a traditionally male led industry. Everyone was also put through the necessary medicals and checks required to work on the road.
After the course, we maintained regular communication with the learners, offering them reassurance and advice and tips for revision ahead of their tests. It was vital to keep out learners engaged in the face of DVSA strikes and backlogs caused by the pandemic. Working in partnership with Dulson Training the learners were able to cover all aspects pf the practical elements of the programme.
The majority of our learners are now back in employment. We’re proud to be able to have helped them expand their skillset, raise confidence levels and support a struggling UK industry.
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