News / HGV drivers
New partnership to train over 100 HGV drivers to address ‘chronic shortage’
A new partnership has pledged to tackle the shortage of HGV drivers while opening up career opportunities for fresh talent.
Insite, a specialist in HGV driver training, has joined forces with the West of England Combined Authority to deliver 180 places on locally funded Skills Bootcamps. The scheme will support 117 people to train as HGV drivers and a further 63 as bus or coach drivers.
Formerly HGVC, Insite is one of the UK’s largest HGV training providers, working with major employers including Amazon, the AA, Morrisons Utilities and Travis Perkins.
Its flexible courses, lasting up to 16 weeks, are designed to build sector-specific skills and help participants progress into higher-paid roles.
The initiative comes in response to continued demand for qualified HGV drivers.
Although the worst of the UK’s driver crisis has eased since the pandemic, industry bodies estimate there is still a shortfall of 20,000 to 40,000 drivers, with an ageing workforce and retention challenges adding to long-term pressure.
While central Department for Education funding for HGV Skills Bootcamps is set to end in 2025, devolved funding is enabling local authorities to sustain the scheme and maintain a pipeline of new drivers.
James Clifford, chief executive of Insite, said the bootcamps have been “crucial in helping remove the financial barrier that can deter entry into this profession” and have provided employers with vital staff to support growth.
Insite is one of the UK’s largest HGV training providers, working with major employers including Amazon, the AA, Morrisons Utilities and Travis Perkins
He added: “When it became clear that centralised funding for the scheme would not continue beyond 2025, there were serious concerns about the impact this would have on the UK’s ability to maintain a sustainable pipeline of HGV drivers.
“With recent announcements of government investment in major housebuilding and infrastructure projects, that pipeline has never been more important. Fortunately, many local authorities – including the West of England Combined Authority – have been able to access devolved DfE funding to continue the valuable Skills Bootcamps model at a local level.”
An onboarding session at a bootcamp
A leading provider of Skills Bootcamps since 2021, Insite rebranded in June and has expanded its training portfolio across HGV, warehouse and construction sectors, positioning itself as a national logistics training partner.
All photos: Insite
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