HGV driver training specialist HGVC has been appointed by MKM Building Supplies to train 54 drivers under the Government’s Skills Bootcamps in HGV Driving.
Under the contract, HGVC is delivering funded courses, with the Department for Education (DfE) providing a 70% contribution towards the cost of training, with MKM covering the remainder. The independent builders’ merchants is continuing to expand across the UK, and the company wanted to upskill existing members of staff to meet growing customer demand and support continued business growth.
MKM opted to outsource the training to HGVC for a fully managed service, making use of the HGV Skills Bootcamp funding available from the UK Government. HGVC was able to immediately onboard and book drivers for every element of licence acquisition, make use of government funding and offer training in locations across the UK.
James Clifford, CEO of HGVC, said: “Many UK firms that rely on drivers need to ability to ramp up their training capacity quickly in response to business growth. The Government’s Skills Bootcamps allows businesses across any sector to do just that, and we’re delighted to be working with MKM Building Supplies in this programme.”
Kerry Hunt, MKM’s Learning & Development Business Partner, added: “Additional drivers allow us to meet our customer needs more effectively, so this is a critical business issue. We found the whole experience to be very smooth, and the entire process very well organised.
“HGVC also provided access to monthly and on-request reporting to update the training team on the progress of each delegate, so we had full visibility of where each candidate was on their training journey.”
Working with many businesses across the country – including Amazon, the AA, Morrisons Utilities, NHS ambulance service and Travis Perkins – HGVC offers high-quality HGV driver training across more than 400 centres throughout the UK to facilitate both small and large-scale licence acquisition programmes. It also leads the Driver Academy Group (DAG), a consortium comprising workforce solutions group Manpower and trade body Logistics UK.
DAG was recently awarded a full extension of its contract with the Department for Education (DfE) to provide training under the Government’s extended Skills Bootcamps in HGV Driving. The scheme will train and place into work thousands more HGV drivers across England over the coming year.
The DfE funding “offers a lifeline for both individual candidates and employers dealing with budget constraints given the cost-of-living crisis.” DAG has secured funding to train a further 2,160 individuals over the next 12 months and within the new contract, DAG will deliver funded courses, offering employers a 70% contribution towards the cost of HGV driver training.
Since the launch of the Skills Bootcamps in HGV Driving in December 2021, the DAG has trained around 1,400 drivers. Some 1,070 trainees have now passed their practical test and are ready to drive.
