National Apprentice Week

WCF Driver Academy

This week WCF Chandlers are celebrating National Apprentice Week and reflecting back on our first cohort of our WCF Driver Academy. 

On 26th November 2021, WCF Chandlers officially launched the 13-month WCF Driver Academy giving Sue, Ashley and Gavin who were non-HGV drivers the opportunity to earn the required qualifications for a career within the tanker driving industry. We currently have our second cohort underway and look forward to seeing them progress through the programme.

The Driver Academy provides the training required to allow our apprentices to gain their HGV license and the qualifications needed to work within the fuel industry. This includes a LGV Category C+E Licence, Driver Certificate of Professional Competence and ADR license, and a Petroleum Driver Passport. 

Our Academy Drivers participate in a number of inhouse training sessions along with undertaking online training in the lead up to their theory and hazard perception test. They also have on-the-job training and work alongside our experienced drivers so that they can learn about delivering all the fuels we supply, safe delivery techniques and recognising hazards. To gain their HGV licence they undertake a 2-week practical driver training course with a test, and of course our first three Academy Drivers passed with flying colours! When they retuned with their licence, they spent approximately six weeks driving our vehicles alongside an experienced driver, before being signed off to drive own their own by Simon Wainwright, our Fuels Training Manager. 

At the end of the Academy is an end of point assessment, which is where an independent assessor tests the apprentice’s knowledge and understanding of everything that is covered during the course of the 13 months. 

We recently received the amazing news that they have all been officially signed off and have successfully completed the WCF Driver Academy. 

We would like to say a huge well done to Sue Smith, Gavin Atkinson and Ashley Wells. We are so proud of you and here is to many more successful years!