Milestone Operations is launching a training division, initially focusing on the Driver Certificate of Professional Competence qualification.
The top five driver recruitment company intends to help LGV drivers to complete their compulsory training by the deadline of September 2014. A telephone survey of 1,000 Milestone drivers completed in May 2013 showed that 11% had not started the 35 hours of training yet. A further 11% stated their intention to retire or leave the sector in the run up to the September 2014 deadline. Of the remainder, 29% had completed all 35 hours of training whilst for the 49% of drivers for whom training was underway, the average number of hours completed was 21.
All drivers registered with Milestone can take advantage of the training which will take place at its 45 sites across the UK. The first site to roll out CPC training will be DHL’s Sainsbury’s Emerald Park in Bristol. Further types of training will be offered at Milestone’s sites around the UK later in 2013.
The cost is set deliberately low, and drivers have the opportunity to use ‘Smile Miles’ performance reward points in part or even full exchange, where they have enough points (see below for details).
Chris Bryant, managing director at Milestone Operations said: “The prospect of 11% of our workforce leaving over the next year, in part because of driver CPC costs and hassle, was worry enough. If any of the remaining drivers don’t complete their training in time, we will be left seriously depleted. The same applies to the industry more generally because I suspect that our in-depth survey was highly representative. The figures convinced us to launch a training division and to provide incentives in the form of low prices and the opportunity to pay using Smile Miles points from our performance reward scheme. With the infrastructure set up we will roll out further types training later in the year.”
Training titles – Modules A-E
· Driver’s Hours and Digitac Operation
· Safe Vehicle Loading and Unloading with Health and Safety in Transport
· ECO and Defensive Driving
· Highway Code, Legislation and Pre-Operational Vehicle Checks
· Manual Handling and Personal Wellbeing