The government is looking at funding HGV driver training for those leaving the military to help alleviate the skills shortage.
According to transport minister Lord Ahmed, speaking at the Transport Committee hearing into the haulage industry’s skills shortage, the government has a key role to play in removing any barriers to the entry of ex-military personnel into the haulage industry.
“We must ensure the training is done while the individual concerned is employed in the MoD – so that by the time they leave military services they can make that transition into civilian life – and make sure they have appropriate qualifications to support that,” he said.
He added that getting ex-military personnel into the haulage industry was something he wanted to take forward as a priority.
Asked if the DfT or MoD would fully fund the training, Lord Ahmed said: “That is an area we are looking at. We also need to recognise that for those people who have given their service to Queen and country we need to facilitate their transition in the best way possible.
“I can’t give a specific commitment as yet on funding issues but it is certainly an area we will be discussing at DfT with our colleagues at the MoD.”
Lord Ahmed said he believed former service personnel could provide a ready source of HGV drivers, particularly as many of them already had some if not all of the required skills to become HGV drivers.
At the same session the minister ruled out an HGV driver training fund.
