After securing his HR licence, WA-based John Fletcher was ready and determined to get behind the wheel of a truck. But despite the widespread hype about the state’s driver shortage, he spent months trying to get a foot in the door.
Fletcher grew up on a dairy farm in New Zealand and moved to Bunbury, WA, four years ago. He had dreamed of becoming a truck driver for as long as he could remember. “There were always a lot of trucks coming in and out at the farm. I wanted to try trucks since I was a young fella. The opportunity presented itself so I took it,” he said.
He searched high and low for work as a truckie and applied for countless jobs. “People were looking for experience. They were keen and looking for drivers but as soon as they see your CV, they don’t want to know. It was frustrating because everyone wants experience, but no one is willing to give me any experience.”
Fletcher even took to social media, offering to work without pay so he could gain some on-road experience.
Thankfully, after two months of searching, his persistence finally paid off when he found work subcontracting for a local general freight company in Bunbury.
He started the week before Christmas and spent a significant amount of time with another driver who showed him the ropes. Now he’s clocking up 400-500km a day and couldn’t be happier. “I’m loving it,” he said.
For those in a similar spot, struggling to get their start in trucking, his advice is, “Just stick with it and be persistent.”