Why Is Being An HGV Driver A Good Career Choice?
When you’re 18 and leaving full-time education, becoming an HGV driver often isn’t one of the career options you’re presented with and it’s unlikely to be one you’re familiar with. But there are more perks than you might think to being an HGV driver.
First up, there is a shortage of HGV drivers not just in the UK but all over Europe. The Road Haulage Association recently shared that a number of other European countries, including Germany and Poland, also don’t have enough drivers. In other words, there are plenty of jobs available.
This leads into our next point: job security. When there are a lot of vacancies in any sector, businesses don’t want to lose qualified people. So, once you’ve done your training, you will likely have your pick of opportunities.
Third, you will earn good money by driving HGVs and being involved in the haulage and transport industry more generally. Once you’ve got your basic HGV licence you can also explore additional training – such as DGSA training, which will teach you to be a dangerous goods safety advisor (DGSA).
What that means is that you don’t have to stay in the cab forever if that’s not what you want. There are plenty of jobs within haulage that don’t require you to be the person driving, plus there are opportunities to develop specialist skills and in doing so increase your earning potential.
Another reason many drivers stick with the industry for so long is because no day is the same. You’re always seeing new places and meeting new people. While the hours can be antisocial in some respects, you’ll become part of a community of drivers who you meet while you’re on the road.
Given that many industries in the UK are making redundancies and there is uncertainty over future job opportunities, becoming an HGV driver or working elsewhere in logistics could be an excellent choice.