John Lewis Partnership to set up Driver Academy to fast track LGV driver training
Thursday 7 October 2021
Next month (November), the John Lewis Partnership will open an LGV Driver Academy to train drivers in 13 weeks to sit the DVSA LGV theory and practical safety tests, helping to reduce the industry shortage of LGV drivers.
Through our Driver Academy we will train up to 90 people per year at our four training facilities in Aylesford, Bracknell, London and Milton Keynes.
This new fast track training is designed for people who may already be drivers of smaller delivery vehicles. We will also increase the number of 12 month LGV driver apprenticeships we offer to people who are starting out in their driving career, and offer more apprenticeships for people who want to train to become Waitrose and John Lewis Delivery Drivers.
Mark Robinson, Partner and Director of Supply Chain said; “In August, we increased pay and introduced a £1,000 welcome payment for qualified LGV drivers who join us before November. This investment in training is a longer term solution to the industry shortage.
“Due to the size of our business and range of services, we can offer drivers not just a job, but unrivalled career opportunities. We will pay our drivers to do further training to change roles from delivering groceries to Waitrose customers, to driving a 3.5 tonne truck to deliver goods to our shops, or learn how to deliver and install washing machines, TVs and lighting, providing excellent customer service for our John Lewis customers.”
The training places will initially be available to people who currently work for the John Lewis Partnership but in January 2022 spaces will be opened up to applicants outside The Partnership and advertised on www.jlpjobs.com
The John Lewis Partnership currently employs over 900 LGV drivers and uses 42 distribution sites across the UK.
NOTES TO EDITORS
About the John Lewis Partnership
The John Lewis Partnership owns and operates two of Britain's best-loved retail brands - John Lewis and Waitrose. Started as a radical idea nearly a century ago, the Partnership is the largest employee-owned business in the UK and amongst the largest in the world, with over 80,000 employees who are all Partners in the business. Profits made are reinvested into the business - for customers and Partners. John Lewis operates 42 shops plus one outlet across the UK as well as johnlewis.com. Waitrose has 331 shops in England, Scotland, Wales and the Channel Islands, including 59 convenience branches, and another 27 shops at Welcome Break locations. The retailer's omnichannel business includes the online grocery service, Waitrose.com, as well as specialist online shops including waitrosecellar.com for wine and waitroseflorist.com for plants and flowers.