Inverclyde Council have announced that they are offering free training local residents to help recruit in-demand HGV drivers.

The local authority is offering people who are over 18 and have a full car driver's licence to join a 10-week, comprehensive programme to become an HGV (heavy goods vehicle), also known as a large goods vehicle (LGV), driver.

There is a guaranteed job interview at the end when the licence – a Category C – is obtained.

The local authority has teamed up with specialists GTG Training to deliver the programme, which is being launched amid a shortage of HGV drivers across various sectors.

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Councillor Michael McCormick, Inverclyde Council's convener of environment and regeneration, said: "This is a fantastic opportunity for any of our residents who are interested in becoming an HGV driver or who are looking for work to get a wonderful helping hand into the industry.

"There's never been a better time to become an HGV driver with so many jobs available and I'm delighted we're able to support people with their training, for free.

"This is one of a raft of initiatives the council is rolling out as part of our ongoing Inverclyde Works campaign to get residents into work and, in turn, improve their life chances."

The programme is open to Inverclyde residents only and will be delivered part-time over 10 weeks covering all aspects of HGV driver training, including provisional licence application, theory test, practical training and practical test, as well as medicals and drug and alcohol testing.

Applicants must hold a full driver's licence and have no more than three penalty points, be over 18 and be unemployed or looking to change career.