Matteo Aprigliano, a former chef in his early 30s, recently gained his HGV licence with Driver Hire and is now working as a multi drop class 2 delivery driver in Edinburgh for a food wholesaler.
We find out why he had a change of heart and made the switch to HGV.
Q: Why did you move into delivery driving?
A: I switched careers because driving for a living had appealed to me since I was young – I’ve always loved anything with an engine.
When I was a teenager working as a carpenter in Italy, my favourite days were riding in the work van with the driver – I wanted his job!
One of the main things that attracted me to HGV training was the work-life balance. Working for a chef, you do long, hard days, always 12 hours or more. In my driving role now, I work 6.30am to 3.30pm, sometimes finishing even earlier! It’s given me more time for myself and my family.
I also switched careers because I wanted to work on my own and to be in charge of my own destiny. In a kitchen, if one person slacks off, the whole team suffers. Now, I work hard and I’m rewarded for it – there’s noone standing in my way. I’m more motivated now.
Q: Tell us about your role
A: I’m currently working for a wholesaler, delivering goods to customers daily. I start my day at the wholesale warehouse, loading up my truck, and then I’m out on the road on my round, making drops. The customers usually stay the same, but the orders change, which adds variety to the shifts.
I was a chef for ten years. I wanted more work-life balance.
It’s so different to being cooped up in a kitchen space or an office – I love being out on the road and interacting with different people every day.
Q: What advice would you give people considering a new career?
A: In life, if we don’t take risks, we don’t get anywhere. I think mostly the reason people don’t change careers is because they are comfortable, even if they don’t particularly like the job. They stick within their comfort zone. You have to push yourself out of your comfort zone and go for it – that way you can find a career you truly love, and one which works for you and your lifestyle.
Changing careers was scary, but it’s the best thing I’ve ever done for myself.
I found the HGV training to get my licence challenging, but rewarding. It was definitely worth taking the leap to leave my former career and do the training – becoming a driver is the best thing I ever did for myself. I’m excited to get more qualifications in the near future and further progress my driving career.
