240 extra HGV driver training places in boost for veterans

Under the Career Transition Partnership (CTP) – the MOD’s official scheme for those transitioning from the military into civilian life – the current provision of 100 training places will increase to nearly 350 places over the next 12 months.

Courses are available in Cat C, Cat C&E, Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (DCPC) and ADR (dangerous goods), opening up a range of employment opportunities to service leavers.

Minister for Defence People and Veterans Leo Docherty said:

This fantastic initiative will provide service leavers and veterans with valuable skills and opportunities to help them find employment as they leave the military, while aiding a cross-government effort to increase the number of HGV trained drivers.

Military service gives you skills for life.

This crucial support to those who have served in our nation’s military is our priority and I am delighted with the opportunity this expansion provides.

The expansion of the driver training offer will aid a cross-government effort to increase the number of HGV drivers, whilst also recognising the ask from service leavers and veterans for more funded vocational training. In addition, following agreement with the Department for Transport (DfT) and Department for Education (DfE), veterans who already hold an HGV licence, but have not undertaken the training to drive commercially, will be able to use DfE Skills Bootcamps to gain this qualification. The Defence School of Transport has been granted approval to train service leavers with the first of these courses having already begun and 120 places made available throughout the year.

Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Steve Barclay said:

I’m delighted that veterans and service leavers will be able to benefit from additional HGV driver training courses, which will enable more deliveries.

This is part of our commitment to work across government to tackle the global pressures that have impacted our supply chains.

This government is determined to support veterans and service leavers into the workplace, and today’s announcement builds on the range of measures we’ve put in place to equip them with the necessary skills and opportunities.

The new training places are made possible because an exemption has been applied to allow veterans and service leavers to use their Enhanced Learning Credits (ELC[1]) to train as HGV drivers.

ELCs can normally only be used for qualifications that are Level 3 or above, on the national Regulated Qualification Framework (RQF). However, this exemption qualifies HGV driver training, usually Level 2, for ELC funding. Although an extra 240 training places are being made available, there is the capacity to increase places depending on interest.

The additional HGV driver opportunities are part of a broader package which includes 55 vocational training courses, such as plumbing and project management, through the CTP, and thousands of courses on offer through the ELC scheme. This is part of the MOD’s commitment to providing the necessary skills and experience to help service leavers and veterans succeed in civilian working life.