Sarah, Fully-qualified at just 21
Completed Category C+E (Class 1) - Articulated lorry licence at Boston Transport Training
When Sarah first stepped into a delivery van, she had no idea it would lead her into a fulfilling career as a professional HGV driver.
With no family background in the industry, it was never something she had imagined for herself. But that soon changed - “I’d never considered a driving job before, nobody in my family is a HGV driver,” Sarah says. “I started driving the shopping delivery vans for Tesco, then I realised how much I loved driving, being out on the road and the responsibility of being left to get my jobs done independently! So when I saw the college was doing a HGV course I jumped at the chance and was lucky enough to earn my class 1 licence!”
Sarah trained at Boston LGV, where her confidence grew with every mile behind the wheel, “I enjoyed the most driving the modern units and when I was doing my training through town I had a lady in a car cheering me on when navigating through tricky Sluice Bridge,” she says. “Also my trainer Dean was amazing, he was calm, gave me lots of confidence and I couldn’t have passed without him! I don’t think there was actually anything I didn’t enjoy, and even now I love every single day at work!”
At just 21, Sarah found a job opportunity at a local haulage firm, “there were not many employment options when I passed as a 21 year old, however I did manage to secure a job at a local haulage firm who mainly do farm work. At first I felt thrown in the deep end, picking up sugar beet in the dark and wet fields early in the morning, getting stuck in the mud wasn’t uncommon!”
Since then, she has gained experience across a wide range of trailer types and job roles. “I have done work with bulkers, tankers, low loader, curtain sider, flat bed and fridge trailers! So I have delivered many different products, even doing nights out when needed which I really enjoy as I get to see more of the country and my unit is like a house inside—it has everything I need!”
I’ve never looked back and cannot imagine doing anything else now!!
Sarah thrives on the independence and variety that come with the job - “I love the independence it gives me. I get given my jobs list and left to crack on. My boss is great and always helpful if I need anything and I like seeing new places and chatting with other drivers at farms and mills or wherever else I end up!”
Working for a farming-based haulage firm means no two days are the same - “one day I’ll be driving a tanker through a field, the next day I’ll be chaining down an irrigator to a low loader ready to take it down the road, the next I’ll be down in Ipswich for the night ready to collect potatoes in the morning!”
Sarah is especially keen to encourage others, particularly women, to consider a career in the industry, “go for it! If you feel nervous or scared just do it anyway! I was nervous before starting my HGV job as it was such a big leap for me and I had very little knowledge of the actual job, but quickly picked it up and gained lots of amazing experiences and everybody is so happy to help and offer advice!”
She continues, “I’ve never looked back and cannot imagine doing anything else now!! Never be afraid to ask for help if you’re unsure of something and never be afraid to jump out and check the back of a trailer when you’re reversing and you’re not sure if it’s close to hitting anything, it’s well worth a look. Never be afraid to take a shunt also if you’re not lined up quite how you want to be.”
Sarah’s story is a powerful reminder that even unexpected career paths can turn into lifelong passions—and that with determination, support, and a willingness to learn, anyone can succeed behind the wheel.
Check out Sarah's course
Category C+E (Class 1) - Articulated lorry licence
£1945–£4945
Drive fully-articulated HGVs
1-week course
Accommodation included*
See Sarah's school for yourself
Boston Transport Training
Riverside Industrial Estate, Marsh Ln, Boston PE21 7RP, UK