Britain’s HGV driver shortage has been ongoing for some time now, with the pandemic and a number of other factors restricting the amount of available talent in the logistics sector. Whether talking about an ageing population, a lack of appeal to the younger generation or Brexit, these impactful elements have made HGV driving one of the most in-demand skill sets around.

At HGVC, we’re doing everything we can to fight back against this shortage, with the launch of our Driver Academy in conjunction with Manpower already responsible for providing thousands of new HGV drivers for the UK market. Well, we’re working with Manpower again – this time to tackle the extremely low representation of women in the industry.

Supporting Women in Logistics

We believe that one of the factors that’s critical to solving the HGV driver shortage in the UK is by supporting women into the industry. Not only will this provide a much larger pool of talent, but it will ultimately boost the bottom line of delivery companies, as a PwC report shows that a more gender-balanced workforce typically results in higher financial returns.

So, in partnership with Manpower and with the support of the UK government, our new Women Driving Scholarship is being launched. We are committed to putting a select group of female individuals through our well-established Driver Academy Programme to give them the training, mentoring, certification and work experience needed for a successful HGV driving career.

An Historically Male-Dominated Industry

One of the most difficult things to overcome in this venture is the perception that HGV driving isn’t for women, as historically, just 1% of all UK lorry drivers have been female and that’s still the case today. There’s also a misconception that huge physical strength is required for the role or that sexism is rife within the sector.

While there is still work to do, the haulage industry has changed much. Proof of this comes from Chloe Kendrick, a recent graduate from our Driver Academy who said “It’s understandable a female wanting to work in a male-dominated environment doesn’t seem the ideal thing, but it’s a change that I really needed.

The Driver Academy program found me my ideal Class 2 role, from which I’m able to progress through to my Class 1. At first it was a worry if I’d ‘fit in’, but almost two months down the line I wouldn’t change it for the world. I’ve experienced the highs and lows, travelled most of the UK and I love it.”

A New Pipeline of HGV Driving Talent

At HGVC, we’ve long been advocates for attracting more women into the haulage sector and by committing to this new program while actively championing the benefits of a rewarding HGV driving career, we hope to create a brand new pipeline of driving talent to turn the tide of the chronic shortage of HGV driving skills in the UK.

If you’re interested in hearing more about our Women in Driving Scholarship, or discussing our driver training solutions in general, call us today on 0330 818 8888.