Waste and recycling firms can now access “up to 90% subsidy” to upskill existing employees to become HGV drivers. Working with the government is HGV training specialist, HGVC, which is said to have nearly 1,900 places currently available to train drivers over the next two years.
The HGV Skills Bootcamps are courses lasting up to 16 weeks. First launched in December 2021, the government has committed a further £50m until February 2026.
‘Plugging the driver gap’
HGVC will focus on supporting employers looking to upskill existing staff, via three pathways: helping novice drivers gain their Category C (rigid lorry) licence, a Category C+E (articulated lorry) licence or helping those with a Category C licence upgrade to a Category C + E.
The DfE funding is said to offer small to large waste and recycling firms a “lifeline” if faced with budget constraints.
For organisations with more than 250 employees, the DfE has said it will fund 70% of the HGV driver training programme. For those with fewer than 250 employees, the DfE will fund 90% of the course cost. Employers are expected to fund the remainder.
James Clifford, CEO of HGVC, said: “For waste and recycling firms, this is a major opportunity to upskill their staff with a significant subsidy from the government.
“We’ve had great success over the past two years working with waste and recycling firms across England and we’re looking forward to continuing to do so. With this funding, we can get even more drivers behind the wheel and keep Britain moving.”
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