The UK transport and logistics sector is facing a challenge: a stubborn shortage of qualified HGV drivers. While wages have risen, vehicles are getting more advanced and working conditions constantly improving, attracting and retaining a new generation of drivers still requires a long-term strategy – with apprenticeships starting to take centre stage.
Recent moves to reform and revitalise HGV apprenticeships have been widely welcomed across the industry, which must be ambitious and inclusive to solve longer term issues around driver shortages.
Indeed, in a bid to make HGV apprenticeships more appealing, especially to younger entrants and those in need of immediate work, the length of the standard programme has been condensed to safely ensure drivers can get on the road more affordably.
The requirement to pass English and maths tests, meanwhile, may soon be lifted, potentially helping remove a significant barrier for capable individuals who struggle with traditional academic formats.
For Matthew Bellamy, Managing Director of transport tech firm SNAP, the changes are an important step in the right direction.
“From feedback we’ve received, we know it can be a difficult and expensive process for drivers. We expect these changes to have a positive impact on addressing the ongoing driver shortage,” he said.
“By eliminating academic hurdles and accelerating the training processes, the sector becomes more accessible to practical, capable individuals who may have previously been excluded. It’s not the full answer – but it’s a meaningful step.”
Bellamy also believes the rising cost of higher education is tipping the balance toward apprenticeships: “More young people are questioning whether a university investment is worth it. Apprenticeships offer a compelling alternative – hands-on experience and career development without the burden of student debt.”
While many apprenticeship schemes focus on vocational training for drivers and technicians, others are carving out new pathways within the sector.
Volvo Trucks has broken new ground with the UK’s first degree-level Truck Sales Apprenticeship, developed in partnership with Middlesex University.
The three-year programme will see six students begin their studies this September, combining academic learning with real-world experience and mentorship within Volvo Trucks’ UK & Ireland sales operations.
“This is an entirely new approach in our sector,” said Hannah Mayo, Director of New Vehicle Sales for Volvo Trucks UK & Ireland. “We’ve had a fantastic response since launching the opportunity, and we’ll be working hard to ensure our new apprentices gain valuable insights into the commercial vehicle industry.
“Apprenticeships represent a fantastic way of breaking into the industry – especially now, as more people seek to earn a salary while gaining a degree and therefore avoid the tuition fees associated with traditional university study.”
More than just a recruitment tool, this initiative is part of a broader strategy to diversify the talent pool and bring fresh perspectives into an industry often viewed as traditional and male-dominated.
While optimism is growing around apprenticeship reform, not everyone is convinced it’s the magic bullet. Harling Kaye, a working trucker and YouTuber behind the “Harling the Trucker” channel, believes apprenticeships as they stand may be mis-selling the job.
“In the past, an apprenticeship meant seven years of training and a job for life,” he says. “That’s no longer the case. People drop out because the work/life balance is wrong or because they lack the soft skills needed to deal with customers. Driving is just one part of the job.”
Kaye argues that many apprentices aren’t fully prepared for the demands of the modern transport sector, where customer service, communication and resilience are just as important as driving ability.
He proposes a more gradual, layered training model, where entrants start in light vans and develop their skills over time, including essential interpersonal and customer-facing competencies.
“Seven-hour DCPC (Driver Certificate of Professional Competence) sessions aren’t doing anyone any favours,” he says. “To be truly successful as an HGV driver, people need a broad range of skills that support the overall business operation.”
His concerns highlight the need for apprenticeships to be holistic in scope, balancing technical driving skills with the demands of a customer-facing, increasingly tech-savvy industry.
Beyond Volvo Trucks, other OEMs and logistics companies are already investing heavily in structured apprenticeship programmes. These initiatives aim to build long-term talent pipelines, support business growth, and ultimately reduce dependence on an ageing workforce.
From workshops and warehousing to route planning and EV fleet support, apprenticeships now cover a diverse range of career paths in the logistics space. The hope is that by offering variety, flexibility and career progression, the sector can better compete for talent against other industries.
In this evolving landscape, the most effective apprenticeships will likely be those that blend practical skills, digital fluency and clear progression opportunities, making them more than just a route into a job – but a launchpad for a full career, and already there are signs that young people are buying into the concept.
DAF Trucks has fully embraced the training benchmark and this year its Apprenticeship Programme celebrated its 30th anniversary with a new, purpose-designed and built DAF Apprentice Academy in Nottingham.
Facilities include a full-length 18-bay workshop with advanced tooling and equipment, 11 fully equipped classrooms, a cafeteria to cater for 100 people, a gym-standard locker/washroom and a large recreational area.
Training on the DAF scheme are provided across technician, parts, service, business administration and departmental manager disciplines.
But can the apprenticeships really address the issue of the driver shortage? The number of HGV drivers in the UK is around 300,000 while a large proportion are older, with 29% over 56 years old, compared to 19% in the overall working population. The average age of an HGV driver is 51 and only 1% of HGV drivers are female.
A spokesman for the RHA, said: “The UK needs to attract 200,000 lorry drivers over the next five years to support demand. Apprenticeships are a key part of the mix to make a career behind the wheel accessible. But training and licence acquisition costs are prohibitive for many which is why we need schemes and funding to support businesses and would-be-drivers to ensure we meet that challenge.”
But in spite of the driver shortfall, apprenticeships that are inclusive, career-oriented and supported by employers, represent a real opportunity to reshape the industry’s future. They can introduce much-needed diversity, attract digitally literate talent, and reduce the financial barriers to entry.
As Volvo Trucks, SNAP, and others have shown, apprenticeships can offer meaningful, well-paid, and future-proof careers – but only if the industry stays committed to building programmes that reflect its real-world needs.
