A new scheme designed to encourage and reward better, safer drivers has been introduced by recruitment agency Encore Personnel.
With more than 250 van and lorry drivers on the road every week, the company is investing tens of thousands of pounds into a new training scheme and expects more than 50 drivers a year to choose to improve and develop their skills.
The scheme is being offered to drivers who have demonstrated a high standard of performance and are keen to develop their careers.
Comprehensive training will deliver higher skills including licence category upgrades, for example from a van to a Light Goods Vehicle (LGV), the achievement of a Driver CPC (Certificate of Professional Competence) or a HIAB or Moffett certificate for lorry-loading.
Encore is keen to offer drivers joining the company a clear career path to higher skills and higher salaries. The company wants develop one of the most highly skilled driver teams in the UK and to establish 'Encore Approved' drivers as a recognised industry standard.
The HGV Driver Training Centre has been chosen to work with Encore to deliver the programme from its national network of training depots. All drivers undertake bespoke training tailored to their level of development including theory tests, hazard perception and practical examinations in what can be a 4-5 day intensive testing regime.
Encore has centres in Birmingham, Coventry, Leicester, Leeds, Nottingham, Northampton, Slough, Spalding and Telford. It's in-house training centre in Coventry has JAUPT (Joint Approvals Unit for Periodic Training) approval and the company offers periodic Driver CPC (Certificate of Professional Competence) training to ensure they retain their qualification and can continue driving commercially.
Divisional Manager Wayne Stroud said: 'Our customers include some of country's biggest brands so it's very important that their vehicles are driven professionally, safely and respectfully. We believe that an 'Encore Approved' driver will become the first choice for haulage and logistics firms across the country.'
