A great milestone
Jesse Pauwels (21) is the 1,000th participant in the lateral entry project 'Ikwordvrachtwagenchauffeur.nl' (I'm becoming a truck driver). After a so-called speed date at the Twente-based family business HST and the STL selection test, he was eligible for a subsidy for driver training. Jesse is now working at HST to everyone's satisfaction.
Photo: from left to right Jesse Pauwels, 1,000th lateral entrant, Lianne de Jong, HR employee, and Bert Perik, truck driver.
Enjoying Europe
Jesse Pauwels: "I now drive a box truck on regional routes in the Achterhoek region. I transport everything from hairspray to pallets of sand. In a month's time, I hope to switch to a truck, provided I get my C driver's license, but I'm confident I will. Then I'll go on to get my CE license. Once I have that, I'll have to drive in the Netherlands for a few more months, and then I'll go international. That's really my dream. Do you know what's so great about it? The freedom you have. At school, I initially chose a job as a care worker. After a year of internship, I knew for sure that it wouldn't make me happy. No, I'd rather drive around Europe. I'm very happy that HST is giving me that opportunity. And I don't understand why there's such a shortage of drivers. It's just a really fun job.
Rigorous selection
Jesse Pauwels is by no means the only career changer at HST. Lianne de Jong, HR advisor at HST Group, says that the company trains an average of eight career changers per year to become truck drivers. "We started taking on lateral entrants five years ago and we're very happy with the results. Almost all lateral entrants end up staying here to work as national or international drivers. A few go to work elsewhere in the sector. I should mention that we select very carefully. We don't do this ourselves. Lateral entrants are also tested by STL. Only when they pass that test are they eligible for a subsidy for driver training. That certainly determines part of the success."
Photo: from left to right Jurgen Arends, truck driver, and Jesse Pauwels, the 1,000th lateral entrant
Realizing your dream job
Working as a truck driver in the transport and logistics sector means working in a sector that matters: it is a vital profession. The freedom, independence, job security, and variety make the profession attractive to a wider group of people. It is a modern job in a dynamic sector with security for the future. To lower the threshold of the tuition fees, a substantial reimbursement is available, whereby you only have to pay a maximum of 15% of the tuition fees for the "Professional Goods Transport Driver" training course yourself. This also includes driving lessons to obtain your C(E) driver's license. After your training, you will start working immediately.
Interview by STL