Averda PDLP unlocks opportunities for women truck drivers

Since 2016, Averda's recruitment strategy has evolved to increase its efforts to include female candidates its PDLP. The PDLP was established with two goals in mind: to upskill employees and potential recruits and to address skill shortages in some of the company's operational areas.

According to Granville Rex, Averda South Africa’s head of human resources, what initially started out as a pilot project confirmed the company's belief that women have a major role to play in operating heavy duty vehicle in the waste management environment.

Collette Gobey, a female heavy-duty vehicle driver at the company, says that she has always been fascinated by the possibility of being a woman truck driver in a field mostly dominated by men.

“I started driving my dad’s car at 17 when I obtained my learner's license. The independence feeling that driving gave me grew with me and with it grew my admiration to big trucks driving, so I made it my goal. I first obtained my code B driver’s license, followed by code 14, which then gave me the opportunity to join Averda”.

Ensuring a more diverse, skilled workforce

The PDLP was launched not only as a result of female interest in the industry, but to also to ensure a more diverse, skilled workforce. It further develops the skillset of our recruits and employees. The results of the programme have yielded more benefits to the company such as fewer accidents and a more efficient activity.

“As part of the PDLP, drivers are periodically trained and assessed by a team of experienced trainers. We hope to make a contribution to the country by addressing the skill shortage with more qualified and compliant heavy-duty vehicle drivers,” says Rex.

For the 2017 financial year, the PLDP should be able to provide 20 qualified and compliant heavy-duty vehicle drivers, of which at least seven positions (35%) will be dedicated to female drivers. Averda intends recruiting unemployed women; and enrolling them in the programme, after which each driver with her deployed crew will take ownership of a vehicle and a dedicated operational round.