I left the Army as a Private in November 2009 as I was ready for a new challenge. During my time serving I had gained my Class 1 and 2 licenses as well as my ADR and had loads of experience driving different military vehicles. I really enjoyed driving whilst in the Army and loved all the social aspects of being in the services. I had been in the forces for less than 6 years so didn’t qualify for any resettlement programs but did attend a jobs fair at Bath to get an idea of potential civilian roles.
I found out Certas Energy were looking for new drivers in Plymouth and applied. I had a phone and face to face interview as well as a driving assessment. My advice for anyone coming for an interview would be to prepare any examples of how you have done different things in the past. I was able to relate back to a number of situations in the Army which showed how I had dealt with difficult situations, used my initiative, worked as part of a team and worked safely. I would definitely advise anyone leaving the forces to be open minded about roles you might be interested in and explore and research lots of different options to see what might be right for you.
I drive Rigid Tankers and have to be very alert as I make deliveries to domestic customers and have to navigate tight windy roads so my advanced driving skills really come into play! I start at 5:30 in the morning and complete all my vehicle checks before going out on the road; this includes making sure the vehicle is safe and roadworthy. I check my loads for the day on the computer, load my vehicle and review my route to make sure it is the most efficient way of delivering to my customers. My days are jam packed I deliver to around 15 customers a day and some days I don’t finish until 6:15 in the evening.
Most people wouldn’t know about the on board technology we have in our cabs to make sure we are delivering the correct amount of product to the right customer. This technology also helps us to monitor the stock levels in the tanker. As I am a driver I obviously work alone quite a bit which I enjoy but we do have monthly meetings where we all get together and some extra curricular events such as the recent Certas Energy Football Tournament. I think Certas Energy stands out as we are such a safety conscious organisation also the company is supportive if people want to progress , for example, I know I could work on the Artic fleet or progress into a driver trainer role in the future.
