UK approves contingency plan to ease shortage of professional drivers

The situation in the UK, after Brexit and the subsequent closure of the borders to the entry of foreign workers into that country, has deteriorated into a shortage of professional drivers seriously affecting business activity, with a serious shortage of supermarkets and gas stations. .

To alleviate this critical situation, which is estimated to be incapacitated by 90,000 drivers, the British government this weekend approved a £10m emergency plan, which includes free training for 4,000 people so they can obtain professional driving licenses through accelerated courses, with the aim of To be examined in a maximum period of 12 weeks, as well as to grant 5,000 3-month visas to foreign airlines wishing to operate in the UK for the purpose of Christmas, in order to avoid a total collapse in the supply of goods and merchandise expected in the coming weeks.

The situation in the UK can be replicated in many other European countries, including Spain, where a growing shortage of professional drivers is already beginning to be noticed at the national level to fill jobs offered by Spanish carriers.

Thus, according to various studies conducted on the employment situation in our country, the proportion of companies in the transport sector that are experiencing difficulties in filling their vacancies will be more than 20%, and more than 10,000 job offers estimate that they will be leaving a vacancy due to the lack of available candidates.

There is no change in generations

The problem, in the words of Antonio Villaverde, president of the Association of Autonomous Transport (ATA) is that “in recent years the situation has changed for the worse, and practically everything is negative: low wages, difficulties in reconciling work and family life, insecurity, etc. “.

Villaverde, interviewed by Todo es Mentira (Catro) believes that “the difference with other times when you become a carrier was, in many cases, a professional desire and in other cases a profession of ‘refuge’ in search of good economic conditions that leaked.” “The problem we have now – says Villaverde – is that the generation that started in this profession is already over 55 years old, the vast majority, we will retire and there will be no generational change.”

In this context, the future looks rather bleak in not many years, “and it is possible that what is happening now in the UK, there will be shortage problems”.

You can watch the full interview with Antonio Villaverde for “Everything is a Lie” at this link: https://www.cuatro.com/todoesmentira/alerta-camioneros-desabastecimiento-navidades-falta-conductores-jovenes-denuncian-condiciones_18_3209599473.html

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Sacha Woodward

"Wannabe writer. Lifelong problem solver. Gamer. Incurable web guru. Professional music lover."

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