The Dundee-based supermarket supplier is entrusting GTG with training its apprentices and up-skilling employees in the transport sector.
The wheels are now turning on an exciting new training partnership between GTG and CJ Lang & Son.
The two Scottish firms have formed a partnership that will see automotive apprentices and trainees from Dundee-based haulier CJ Lang & Son learn their craft, both on-site in the lorry cab and in the classroom through GTG training.
One such trainee is Iain, one of CJ Lang & Son’s Class 2 delivery drivers who is studying for a SQA Level 3 qualification in Driving Goods Vehicles. He describes how his studies, delivered by GTG, have gone so far.
Iain said: ‘The first module was classroom work, on topics like what the job entails from a logistical point of view, and how we deliver goods.
‘I am hoping to achieve a Class 3 qualification. This will hopefully open up a lot more opportunities for me within the company in the future.’
Iain also described how it felt to have his employer invest in him through the training provided by GTG.
‘It feels brilliant. It shows that the company is going to be around for a long time if they are willing to put money and resources into training their employees within the business.’
Meanwhile, Alan Brown, Distribution Centre Manager at CJ Lang & Son, was delighted to have established a partnership with GTG, saying: ‘GTG is a recognised SQA training provider. Their trainers arrive on-site to train our drivers and take them through the SQA Level 3 driving qualification, doing the technical tasks set for them through the different modules on site.
‘This is great for the development of our drivers, who will have a recognised industry qualification to draw on.
‘CJ Lang & Son’s vision is to have all our Class 1-qualified drivers trained up to Level 3 within two years, and our partnership with GTG will be pivotal in delivering that.’
Alan explained how ‘future-proofing’ their business reach was also on the company’s mind in setting up a formal training link with GTG.
Alan added: ‘There is an estimated shortage of 60,000 lorry drivers in the UK, so it is really important that companies like CJ Lang & Son can attract the right people and develop them properly with access to high-quality training.
‘We deliver goods to a large network of Spar franchises, with stores right across Scotland, from the Central Belt to the Western Isles. Having an industry-recognised qualification delivered by a training provider with a great reputation can therefore only help to attract a new generation of drivers and to further develop the skills of our current team.’
Louise Rogers, HR Director at CJ Lang & Son, explained how the burgeoning partnership with GTG would help enhance employee skills across the board.
She said: ‘CJ Lang & Son has been around for more than 100 years now, and you don’t do that without good people around you. But as we look to the future, we want to ensure we’re sufficiently trained and skilled to deliver our services to customers and communities far and wide.
‘Our partnership with GTG will help us stay fit for the future as a business.’
Pamela Brown, GTG Transport Manager, said: ‘We are delighted to provide training for CJ Lang & Son, to help advance the skills of both their serving drivers, and to train the next generation of drivers at a time of urgent demand for these skills within the road haulage industry.
‘CJ Lang & Son has a reputation for providing an efficient service across a wide area of coverage, so we were more than happy to work with them to help them continue delivering an effective haulage service to their clients in the years to come.’