“There is a belief amongst some transport companies we talk to that the cost of bringing their drivers up-to-date to meet the new CPC requirements (Driver Certificate of Professional Competence) of 35 hours of periodic training every five years, is going to be too costly in this current hard economic climate.   I have even heard figures of around half a million pounds over five years being quoted for a fleet of 100 drivers!.

“That’s way off beam.  It shouldn’t cost anything like that.   Not if logistics companies work with a good professional training company. One that has industry experience. I’d say allow about £100 per year per operative for the cost of the training.  That’s closer to £10,000 per year or £50,000 over the five years, and in some areas of the country funding is available to offset some or all of the cost.”

There is a real danger that some companies may now be tempted to go down the route of training staff internally to save money. But that is seen by John Charlton as short-sighted.  “Compare that average £10,000 a year with the replacement cost of taking a good driver out of service to act as a driver trainer, preparing all the training materials, travel, expenses, back-up admin. and the cost of course approval and accreditation.

Companies do need a consistent quality standard across their whole operation and at all depots. The Government has made considerable sums available to help people already in employment to access training to upskill, but companies may not be able to access that assistance directly.  They will only be able to do so by using professionally qualified external providers.   We, and other companies like us, can help our customers to tailor custom-planned programmes to upskill their staff, and access any available assistance.  I urge every logistics company to talk to their local professional provider to see what is available in their area.”

Van Hee is one of the largest providers of logistics training in the country.  For forty years they have trained at all levels in the logistics sector including fork lift truck drivers, commercial transport operatives, warehousemen and supervisors, currently training around 3,000 people annually.

John Charlton, concludes “ Undoubtedly, companies engaged in transport and distribution now have a regular and ongoing need to update operator skills.  And there is no doubt that training has become increasingly more involved and complex and will become even more so, but this is no time to take the amateur route.  There are unclaimed funds available, so it really will pay in the long run to call in the professionals and get training underway.”

Van Hee has partnerships with Learning and Skills Councils, other training providers, schools, colleges and around 200 commercial customers.