New boost for agricultural firms as HGVC secures £10m Government funding to train thousands more HGV drivers 

• Department for Education (DfE) commits £50m for Skills Bootcamps in HGV Driving
• Up to 1,828 places available for agricultural firms to upskill existing employees

Interested employers can apply here: www.hgvc.co.uk/bootcamp

Agricultural firms can now access up to 90% subsidy to upskill existing employees to become HGV drivers. Securing a lead role in the Government's Skills Bootcamps in HGV Driving, HGV training specialist HGVC has nearly 1,900 places available to train up HGV drivers over the next two years.

The HGV Skills Bootcamps are flexible courses of up to 16 weeks, giving people the opportunity to build up sector-specific skills. First launched in December 2021 the Government has committed a further £50m until February 2026.

Helping agricultural firms upskill their staff to plug the driver gap

HGVC will focus on supporting employers looking to upskill existing staff, via three pathways: helping novice drivers gain their Category C (rigid lorry) licence, a Category C+E (articulated lorry) licence or helping those with a Category C licence upgrade to a Category C + E.

The DfE funding offers a lifeline for agricultural firms large and small dealing with budget constraints. For organisations with more 250 employees, the DfE will fund 70% of the HGV driver training programme. For businesses with fewer than 250 employees, the DfE will fund 90% of the course cost. Employers will fund the remainder.

  James Clifford, CEO of HGVC, said: "For agricultural firms large and small, this is a major opportunity to upskill their staff with a significant subsidy from the Government. We've had great success over the past two years working with agricultural firms of all shapes and sizes and we're looking forward to continuing to do so. With this funding, we can get even more drivers behind the wheel and keep Britain moving."

 How to apply

HGVC's scheme is open to any agricultural business looking to upskill their existing staff. The training courses are available at 60 locations across the country. Employers can apply at www.hgvc.co.uk/bootcamp.