North east has been hit hard by unemployment

A north ast charity has won funding to help former oil workers transition to LGV drivers.

 Aberdeen Foyer will support at least 20 people to find new careers in the transport sector who are currently unemployed or transitioning from oil and gas.

The grant, secured through the Energy Transition Zone (ETZ) Ltd, a partner in The North East Economic Recovery and Skills Fund, will support people to gain a HGV/LGV Cat ‘C’ driving licence, enabling them to drive rigid vehicles over 7.5 tonnes such as tippers, flat-beds and curtain-sided vehicles. 

Training will be delivered by one of Aberdeen Foyer’s social entrprises – Roadwise Driver Training, with support from The Foyer’s Employability team, who will provide practical advice on CV writing, interview techniques and other skills development. In addition, The Foyer will also use its wide network of employer contacts to identify available positions that match the newly attained skills.

Anne Kain, Aberdeen Foyer’s head of employability said “We’re delighted to receive this funding from The ETZ, which enables us to provide valuable reskilling support for people impacted by the recent downturn in the oil and gas sector.  Many companies are experiencing high demand for LGV drivers due to Covid, Brexit and other economic issues. 

"This funding opens up training to connect people with employment opportunities that they may not have been able to access otherwise.”

To be eligible, individuals must reside in either Aberdeen or Aberdeenshire, be aged 18 years or over and hold a clean driving licence (Category B).  Priority will be given to those who have been displaced from the oil and gas sector and/or those from under-represented communities. The courses will be available to access from now until the end of March 2022.  

Jurgita Mikeleviciute, Roadwise Driver Training lead said: “An HGV/ LGV (Category C) licence provides great opportunities for employment across many different sectors - short-haul to international distribution and logistics. 

"Being a lorry driver has long been regarded as a stable career choice with plenty of options and career progression, so we’re delighted to be able to offer these funded spaces to people who find themselves out of work and looking to transition out of oil and gas.

"Thanks to The ETZ we can provide further support to help people in the north east turn their lives around.”