National Apprenticeship week 2024

At Evri, we’re committed to onboarding more women to become HGV drivers. We will be running numerous initiatives to support this, including a new recruitment and communications campaign to raise awareness and champion female drivers, listening groups with existing female drivers to understand how Evri can make its workplace a more inclusive environment, and a mentoring programme in which our experienced female drivers will support new recruits.

We caught up with one of our CAT C+E drivers, Jayne Ellam, who came through our apprenticeship programme.

Q. What is your current role and how did you get started?

“I am a Class 1 C+E driver and started in April 2019 on an apprenticeship after I was made redundant in a previous job. It was nothing like what I used to do but I’d always fancied giving it a go! I was an Area Manager for a vending company before, so I was always out and about, and I wanted a role which kept me out and about and not staring at four walls.”

Q. What do you enjoy most about the role?

“In a way, when I am on the road, I feel like my own boss. I also get to see different parts of the country. The role is challenging at times too, which I quite like. It’s a good job, it’s not your average 9-5 where you are stuck in the same room. The role has taken me to Scotland, South Wales, Somerset, London and Tyneside – so basically everywhere!”

Q. Why do you think more women should become HGV drivers?

“I think being a HGV driver comes with its own stereotype, to be honest, but that is because it has not been shown otherwise really, until now. The reason I believe it has always been considered a job for a man is because of the hours that are involved. I think if women could see what the job is, they will not see any pitfalls as to why they cannot do it.”

Given the opportunity to find these jobs, women will find that they can do the job just as well as men.

Jayne Ellam, CAT C+E driver at Evri

Q. What do you like most about being a driver at Evri?

“I have been given a lot of support at Evri. We are also really lucky that we have trainers who have years of knowledge, support us, and know how to get us out of tough situations, because that can happen to anybody. We are sent out with maps and are well prepared for our journey, so in that aspect, Evri are very good!”