The on-the-job training system has been created by training provider Seetec Outsource in collaboration with Breedon Group. The partnership hopes that by offering more urban route work, they can tackle the ongoing HGV crisis by attracting young drivers to this career.

According to official government data, the number of people employed as HGV drivers in any industry fell by 53,000 from January 2016 to June 2021.

So far, 30 drivers from across Britain have joined the Urban Driver scheme, which will focus on short-haul journeys in towns and cities that rarely require overnight routes. By concentrating on a better work-life balance, its founders hope they will appeal to anyone who may have previously dismissed traditional HGV work.

Lloyd DeVal, director of sector skills at Seetec, said: “Breedon is a great example of a large organisation that has embraced the flexibility and empowerment that apprenticeships bring to the workplace.

“The Urban Driver apprenticeship clearly demonstrates how apprenticeships are helping to tackle an ageing workforce, the pandemic and changing restrictions following Brexit.”

The scheme will allow its employees to reach a Class 2 licence for vehicles weighing between 3.5 and 32 tonnes in just four to six months.

Seetec also commented that the apprenticeship is now more important than ever as up to a quarter of lorry drivers are expected to leave the industry over the next three years, according to a recent survey of HGV drivers.

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The car insurance company praised younger drivers, stating that those aged between 18 and 24 were some of the safest. This is because they are more mindful of the risks that come with driving. 

As many as 92 percent of 18-24-year-olds surveyed said they were aware of which factors could impact their driving capabilities. Half of these participants also knew how adverse weather conditions could considerably reduce visibility behind the wheel and, consequently, cause hazards.

Richard Tucker, Founder of Rooster Insurance, said: “It’s all too easy to become a complacent driver as we gain more miles on the clock and trips around the UK.

“However, this is a dangerous trap for the more mature and experienced driver to fall into, becoming more and more unaware of potential driving dangers on the UK roads.”

Although, over a quarter of older motorists claim that they refresh their knowledge on the Highway Code every year. It is advised that this should continue, to ensure that all ages are up-to-speed with the varying dangers on the road.

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