The Irish firm has developed a bespoke course which prepares lorry driver trainees for theory and practical Class C tests and Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) tests.
The programme is designed to develop the trainee’s driving confidence and familiarises them with Mannok prior to their driving role at the company once they are qualified. Upon successful completion of the programme, the new drivers will join the Mannok team, driving some of the company’s 140-plus lorries delivering multiple loads of its product range including aggregate products, tarmac and readymix across the island of Ireland and the UK.
The programme is tailored to each candidate’s ability and experience level and includes computer-based and practical training which aligns with theory and lorry driving tests required to become a qualified lorry driver.
Mannok says trainees will be provided with the necessary time and support to prepare for the required tests, gaining valuable experience by training alongside Mannok’s team of experienced drivers, while familiarising themselves first-hand with the industry and the environment where their future job lies.
Candidates will also learn how to operate a variety of Mannok’s vehicles during their training, such as tippers and readymix lorries, to ensure they are comfortable and proficient in driving a range of HGV vehicles. This is advantageous for trainees as standard driver training is often limited to learning how to drive a truck and doesn’t take into consideration the knowledge needed to operate the equipment on a truck, such as a tipper or readymixer.
Mannok transport manager Brian McManus commented: “The programme is very diverse, providing trainee lorry drivers with a range of relevant skills so they are confident, experienced, adaptable and are able to hit the ground running once they are qualified."
On successful completion of their lorry test, the driver will complete a further period of mentoring before being signed off and allocated a vehicle from Mannok’s extensive fleet which could see them driving up to 250 miles across Ireland and Northern Ireland daily.
Caroline McCaffrey, Mannok’s HR manager, commented: "We hope to continue recruiting new trainees to the Academy each year and to quickly see the benefits, both to the company and to people of this region. It is our ambition to retain talent locally to help build a sustainable, skilled workforce in the area for the future.
"The training for our first candidate, who has successfully completed their Class C – Rigid qualification in December, began at the end of September and we have other trainees currently progressing through the programme. We expect more positions to become available and they will be published on our website.”
