Freight Transport, Driving and Management - Case Studies

Jim Heaney

Lance Corporal Jim Heaney served 13 years in the Royal Logistic Corps as a tank transporter instructor, before leaving in 2001 due to lack of promotion prospects. Now 36, he has been the Logistics Business Manager for the Work Based Learning Department for a year having started as a driver while waiting for an LGV instructor vacancy with System Driver Training - his resettlement training provider.

His service included tours in Northern Ireland, the Gulf and Bosnia, and he left with a string of driving, instructing and assessment qualifications as well as a thorough grounding in such personal attributes as 'leadership, self discipline, self motivation, teamwork, personal pride and punctuality.'

Heaney attended a 'useful' Career Transition Workshop before his 'excellent' resettlement course with 'lots of ex-military staff who have been through the process of leaving the Forces who made me feel at ease.' He is now 'the manager and internal verifier of a small team of NVQ assessors who assess candidates on driving and IT NVQs and apprenticeships UK-wide.' He also teaches in the classroom and still instructs when required on the vehicles.

He achieves personal satisfaction when 'each learner achieves their qualification. The overall package is excellent with a degree of flexibility, good promotion prospects, a company vehicle, good pay, and good people. No-one needs to raise their voice to you as that approach doesn't work in civilian life. Incompetent colleagues get sacked. I have a lot more flexibility than I did in the forces and can plan ahead.'

Published October 07