It is early in the morning and there is a lot of activity at the freight terminal at Forus in Stavanger. 15 wagon trains are being made ready for various missions along the vegan route in Rogaland. A completely normal day at work. But not for Mads Arild Helleberg Hamre. This is his very first day at work as a professional driver. – Call it a childhood dream. Everyone wants to drive a truck. Says the 33-year-old from Tananger and smiles. Helleberg Hamre is new to the profession, but still well acquainted with the industry. Both of his brothers are drivers, and his roommate and almost her entire family are in the transport industry. – The best thing is that I now get out and get to know new people. I get to work with something I like, and the colleagues seem very pleasant, says Helleberg Hamre. Photo: Marte Skodje / news At the same time, the road to the driver’s cabin has been long and challenging for the newly appointed driver. – I never finished school and have no education, and I have therefore been on and off a bit with work. In addition, I was 50 kilos heavier and struggled with both my back and knees. After a slimming operation, the pain disappeared, but I was still out of work for 2.5 years, before I was appointed here. Permanent job without experience In Norway, the need for professional drivers is so great that several companies want to hire unemployed people without skills. Helleberg Hamre is among those who have now completed the course to become a professional driver. – We want to emphasize that there are good drivers who slipped through this needle guild. Everyone goes through thorough training in companies when they finish the driving school. This is according to Reidar Retterholt, regional manager of the Norwegian Truck Owners Association, Rogaland and Agder (NLF). – frontier to date, 14 drivers have been given permanent jobs. Three candidates have a bit left on their driver’s licence, but will make it and will also soon be out at work, says Retterholt. Photo: Marte Skodje / news The project is a collaboration between Nav, several different transport companies and the Norwegian Truck Owners Association, Rogaland and Agder (NLF). Out of around 60 people who registered, 20 people were offered a course, and in this way several have found their way into working life. Out of the unemployment queue – This has changed my life. That’s what Thomas Holmberg (35) says, who, like Helleberg Hamre, is also a recent driver for heavy transport. After taking the course under the auspices of the NFL and Nav, Holberg got a permanent job as a professional driver for Maksi Distribusjon. – I passed my driving test yesterday, and that gives me the chance to look ahead, he says. Thomas Holmberg is one of 14 formerly unemployed people who have now got a permanent job as a professional driver. Photo: Marte Skodje / news – This does not solve the driver shortage, but we help people into work and at the same time recruit new ones. That’s what Egil Torgersen, who is the day-to-day manager of Rennesøy Trafikk, says. – What is it like to employ people who have never driven a truck before? – We have to start from scratch. These are large and heavy cars, and this requires both traffic safety and the handling of goods. We spend time on training after they have received the note, he replies. Egil Torgersen is the day-to-day manager of Rennesøy traffic. Photo: Marte Skodje / news Nav picks up the bill Collaboration between the NFL and Nav only applies to those who, for various reasons, are out of working life. Many without a job show no interest. – There is a lot of pressure to get this measure into Nav, says Synnøve Schei, head of Nav Marked in Rogaland. Nav Rogaland has so far paid between NOK 160,000 and NOK 200,000 for driving licenses for each individual participant in the course. Synnøve Schei is manager of Nav Marked in Rogaland. Photo: Marte Skodje / news The aim is that everyone who gets class C/CE (external link) will get a job after they have received a certificate. – The need for more professional drivers is still great, and NFL and Nav are now starting a new course in South Rogaland starting in the autumn, says Schei.
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From unemployed to permanent job as professional driver via Nav – news Rogaland – Local news, TV and radio
