The number of places for veterans to train as HGV drivers will
significantly increase under new plans to better prepare service
leavers for employment following their military careers.
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 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 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.
