A major Welsh food distribution company is fast-tracking drivers through their HGV tests to beat delivery shortages caused by the pandemic and Brexit.<\/p>\n
Harlech Foodservice has seven drivers at their depots in Gwynedd and Chester on course to complete their HGV Class C tests this January.<\/p>\n
It will take their total number of Class C drivers up to 38 from 31 and it will mean they are fully staffed for the Spring when the demand from hospitality and tourism starts to step up again.<\/p>\n
Transport Supervisor Morgan Jones, who joined the company four years ago as a driver and completed the training course himself, said: \u201cIt\u2019s something we have been doing for a few years but we\u2019ve stepped it up.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is the first time we have done this mass training to ensure we have enough delivery drivers to meet our customers\u2019 needs.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe had six new van drivers who started this year and they had all done a great job this summer and they have all accepted our offer for them to be trained as HGV drivers by Caernarfon company Carmel Training.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is a cost which Harlech cover and it includes the necessary eyesight and medical checks as well as two theory and two practical tests after an intensive three-day course with Carmel in Caernarfon.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe actual cost is about \u00a31500 each but we reimburse them for that and in return they sign a form committing themselves to the company which they have been happy to do.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s really good to know they\u2019re aware of this and are keen to stay with us at Harlech.\u201d<\/p>\n
Among the intake is 23-year-old Rhys Burgess, from Porthmadog, who joined Harlech in June as a van driver and has been enrolled on the HGV course.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cThe firm must think I\u2019m good enough to go on to take my HGV and it\u2019s a great opportunity for me and something I\u2019ve always wanted to do.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not really about the money. It\u2019s about a good opportunity to make more of myself.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s an opportunity for a young driver like me to move up the ladder and the firm are paying for it which is big help because it\u2019s not cheap and for them to do that is really good.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s about upskilling their staff and while I\u2019m enjoying driving the vans, I\u2019m really looking forward to getting on the lorries.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rhys joined Harlech after his job as a kitchen porter at a hotel fell victim to lockdown and he added: \u201cI really needed the work because of lockdown and there aren\u2019t a lot of jobs around here.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor Harlech to help local people move up the ladder rather than bringing in drivers is really great.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Class C licence allows the drivers to take the wheel of any vehicle up to 32 tonnes which isn\u2019t articulated, and covers most of Harlech\u2019s fleet of 35 lorries.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s the same course that Morgan took himself when he joined the company full time over four years ago and he added: \u201cWe want to get them through this as quickly as we can so they can get used to the vehicles and the routes before business starts to pick up.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a really good opportunity for them. I trained with the same company and it worked really well for me and it\u2019s good that we are using a local provider to make this great offer to upskill our staff.\u201d<\/p>\n
Harlech Managing Director David Cattrall said: \u201cWe have always had a policy of recruiting from within whenever and wherever possible and that\u2019s been true of our van drivers.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe current situation in the transport sector makes this more important than ever and we believe it is better if we can train our existing staff to fill any gaps rather than getting into a recruiting war.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn response we ask them to agree to stay with the business for two years after they qualify and all have been happy to do so and we look forward to them working for us for many years into the future.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe know the worth of our own people and we value their loyalty and believe it is better to offer them a career path through training which at the same time enables us to ensure we can continue to provide our customers with the deliveries they need when they need them.\u201d<\/p>\n
Harlech Foodservice Ltd employs around 200 staff at its bases at Criccieth and Chester and between the two locations, the company runs a fleet of vehicles to deliver more than 5,000 product lines to caf\u00e9s, restaurants, pubs and public sector customers across North and Mid-Wales, Shropshire, the Midlands and the North West.<\/p>\n
For more on Harlech Foodservice go to https:\/\/www.harlech.co.uk\/<\/a><\/p>\n