XPO has launched a female driver academy to attract more women into the industry, writes Chris Tindall.
Candidates will undertake a 12 to 16-week programme using the logistics company’s driver training team to develop their skills and create a corps of skilled and professional female drivers.
Lynn Brown, XPO Logistics vice president, human resources, said: “We will be employing the candidates from day one so they can earn a living while training to become a vital part of our team.
“Our customer, Saint-Gobain UK and Ireland, has backed the initiative by offering roles in their British Gypsum and PAM operations.
“Our trainer will buddy our candidates, ensuring they can learn from someone who has first-hand experience of what they are going through and can provide the best possible support.”
The first female driver academy candidates are expected to start driving HGVs full-time for XPO by August this year. The only requirements to join the academy are that participants must be aged 18 to drive an HGV.
Each trainee will work towards receiving the relevant qualification for the type of vehicle they want to drive. A Cat B car licence can be upskilled to a Cat Class C or Cat CE and it is possible to go straight from a Cat B to a Cat CE licence.
