An exciting trend - more and more young people, including many girls, want to become truckdrivers
For several years, I have been warning about the fact that there are far too few truck drivers in Europe. In Sweden alone, there could be up to 10 000 more. Therefore, it is very gratifying to take part of the news that more and more young people are choosing to apply to the upper secondary school’s transport educations. In addition, it is even more exciting that the trend with more female students continues to increase.
Interest in joining a vehicle and transport program at the upper secondary school is increasing. Compared to last year, the first choice for this program has increased by three percent.
At the same time, the number of students enrolled in the second year has increased by 5,6 percent, which is admittedly less than last year when they increased by a full 25 percent, but still an indication that more and more people want to become a truck driver.
A clear trend is that more girls are discovering the vehicle and transport program. Today, just over 27 percent of all pupils in the second year are girls, which is to be compared with just under 16 percent in the academic year 2014/2015. Of the 89 schools that are included in the survey, 21 schools have at least 35 percent female students in the second year.
There have been times when the practical upper secondary education has had difficulties attracting applicants, but in recent years that have changed. There are many benefits. In addition to receiving a good education that also provides you with a driver's license and a job with good conditions, most of the pupils also manage to graduate. Today, more than 80 percent of transport students take their bachelor's degrees. With that figure, the program is second best in the country after the students who attend the Science Program.
Worth noting in the information from TYA (Transport Trades Occupational and Safety Board), is that as many as 90 percent of those who take the degree get a permanent job.
Thomas Ström