Member Article

DHL use ex-Soldiers for HGV Driver Shortfall

With a drop in the number of trained HGV drivers available in the UK, DHL are turning to ex-military personnel to cover the shortfall. Following a pilot project in 2013, the delivery firm is pressing on with plans to fill more positions with ex-military drivers.

Estimates suggest that there will be a 150,000 person shortfall of HGV drivers by 2020. DHL are looking to fill that gap with ex-military drivers. To that end, they developed a training programme for 250 army personnel in 2013. They now run a Military Employability Programme using the experience gained from that trial.

“We’re seeing more and more of these kinds of programmes springing up,” explains Charlotte Gallagher of employment experts P3 People Management. “Ex-military personnel have a whole range of great skills and they’re increasingly in demand. This is a great example of a company capitalising on those skills”.

The number of HGV drivers in the UK has dropped by one sixth over the past five years as tougher tests and new rules discourage workers from a career behind the wheel. Many ex-servicemen and servicewomen are trained in haulage by the army, however, so transferring to haulage careers is a natural step.

“If the demand is there and the pay is good, it’s a perfect fit,” continues Charlotte. “And it’s just one example: we’ve been involved in lots of projects where ex-army personnel have found careers beyond the uniform - some as Chefs, some as Managers and some as civilian air traffic controllers”

As MOD budgets continue to be cut back and regiments downsize, more and more service personnel will enter the workplace. Examples like DHL’s project shows that their skills will remain in demand.

For advice and expertise on all matters HR contact P3 People Management on www.p3pm.co.uk

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by David Lomas .