A leading training specialist is helping Devon County Council train local people to become HGV drivers.

Insite is offering locally run and funded HGV Skills Bootcamps to try and fill the chronic shortage of HGV drivers in the UK.

The flexible courses of up to 16 weeks are funded by the Department for Education (DfE) but that funding is due to stop at the end of the year.

In response, local authorities have been able to access devolved funding via the DfE, to run skills bootcamps locally and Devon County Council is supporting 58 places to help local people get into work and secure higher-paid careers.

The skills bootcamps will also help employers across the region to find the HGV drivers they need to keep their businesses growing, and support the local economy.

CEO of Insite, James Clifford, said: “Skills Bootcamps in HGV Driving have been crucial in helping remove the financial barrier that can deter entry into this profession for new drivers, and have played a pivotal role in tackling the UK’s chronic shortage of HGV drivers.

“When it became clear that centralised funding for the scheme would not continue beyond 2025, there were serious concerns about the impact this would have on the UK’s ability to maintain a sustainable pipeline of HGV drivers.

“And with recent announcements regarding government investment in major housebuilding and infrastructure projects, this pipeline has never been more important.

“Fortunately, many local authorities including Devon County Council, have been able to access devolved DfE funding to continue the valuable Skills Bootcamps model at a local level.”

For organisations with fewer than 250 employees, Skills Bootcamps are 90 per cent funded, with employers paying the remaining 10 per cent of the course cost. For larger employers, Skills Bootcamps are funded by 70 per cent.

For more information or to secure a place, contact [email protected].