A group of 17 Ukrainians completed truck driver training with the help of an interpreter at Tavi training centre in Meise (Flemish Brabant) on Friday.
Thanks to the interpreter, they were able to apply for the 'bottleneck' job of truck driver faster. It is the first time that training for truck drivers with an interpreter has been organised in Flanders.
Other professions already offer interpreters during training. For truck and bus drivers, however, this was not yet an option. "But this is a bottleneck profession in Flanders," says Tavi director Vincent Vandenameele. "We need all the talent in our labour market today, including non-Dutch-speaking talent. By providing training with an interpreter, trainees can get into the job faster."
In total, the training lasted seven and a half days, over 60 hours. On Friday, the 17 trainees worked through their last day of classes. They all already had driving licences to drive trucks in Ukraine, but they are not valid in Belgium.
During the training sessions, the Ukrainians therefore received theory lessons, which introduced them to the Belgian highway code, first aid, reading a tachograph, rules on rest and driving times and loading and unloading, among other things. This will make them eligible for a Belgian driving licence.
After completing the course, all participants received a certificate showing that they are "competent" to drive a truck around Belgium. On site at Tavi, they could immediately apply to a number of employment agencies.
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Ukrainian Igor Gorbatyuk was introduced to the course through the consultant at employment service VDAB. In Ukraine, he had his own business as a truck driver, so had plenty of experience. "But I immediately realised that my papers here were not yet in order to drive," Gorbatyuk said, who now lives in Tienen. "That's why I was eager to take the course."
"Thanks to the course, I feel more comfortable and confident on the road," he continued. "We were also taught driving behaviour towards cyclists, something that felt new to me. I would definitely recommend the course to others."
