Around one in ten people in the UK or 1.2 million people are thought to have hearing loss greater than 65 decibels, which is roughly the level of a normal conversation.[i]
Not being able to hear properly can make life harder for people, at school and at work, which can lead to loneliness and depression.
It certainly made life harder for Maxim who wears a cochlear implant. Maxim always loved driving and wanted to start a career as a lorry driver but thought his hearing loss would prevent him gaining qualifications.
In fact, there’s no restriction on driving if you suffer from hearing loss, because paying attention to visual clues and some special special electronic devices in vehicles can be used.
In pursuit of a career in HGV driving, Maxim enrolled onto an HGV Bootcamp with Qube Learning. The Bootcamp saw Maxim attend a series of tutored training sessions, medical assessment, and practical tests, supported by Action Training.
After initially failing the practical test, Maxim was determined to obtain his licence and showed real grit in forging on. With tailored support from both Qube Learning and Action Training, Maxim passed his Category C HGV licence at Garrets Green test centre in Birmingham in February this year and is now firmly on the road to success.
This feel-good story celebrates one man’s determination to overcome challenges to meet his career aims, with the help of government funded schemes at employer entry level.
With a shortage of HGV drivers in the road ahead, it also demonstrates the way in which targeted training can make a difference to the employment market, by reaching wider recruitment pools.
Adrian Grove, Business Development Director at Qube Learning said: “Maxim’s story is a happy reminder of the transformative power of professional training support for vocational skills.”
He continues:
“Those who feel cut off from career opportunities through invisible disabilities such as hearing loss can see their career opportunities transformed with the help of good, professional support or training.
“This is a powerful reminder of why entry level training is so important to our society and employment market. Let’s celebrate and support this vital funding, and send our congratulations again to Maxim!”.
[i]https://rnid.org.uk/about-us/research-and-policy/facts-and-figures/#:~:text=Reference%3A%20Extrapolated%20using%202021%20ONS,of%20these%2C%2087%2C000%20are%20Deaf.
http://couriernews.co.uk/blog/helping-good-drivers-with-hearing-impairment-get-on-the-road/