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Joshua (33) swapped the kitchen for the truck cab. Through 24/7 drive, he started a new chapter in the transport industry. A completely different sector, but with the same enjoyment in his work. “I’ve found a job again where I can put my passion into what I do.”
Joshua never expected to become a truck driver. After completing his chef training, he spent fifteen years working in different kitchens. “Cooking really was my passion. It gave me the chance to be creative,” he says.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, everything changed. “The hospitality industry shut down and I had to look for something else.” That search led him to waste collection. “It seemed like a great job to me. Working outdoors, staying active and close to home. I also obtained my truck driving licence there. Driving a refuse truck taught me how to handle very narrow and difficult roads. It was a great learning experience.”
A new direction as a truck driver
After three years, Joshua started wanting something different again. “I wanted to drive more. Cover longer distances and spend more time on the road. That’s when I knew I wanted to take the next step as a truck driver.”
Joshua registered with several employment agencies. Not long afterwards, 24/7 drive called him about a vacancy at Huigevoort, a family-run company specialising in transport for construction and roadworks.
“They told me about the company and asked whether I would like to come in for an introduction. From the very first conversation, I had a good feeling about it,” Joshua recalls. “Huigevoort is a family business and you notice that in everything. Father and daughter run the company together and communication is very open. Everyone is treated equally. It doesn’t matter whether you are employed directly or work through an employment agency, you are simply part of the team.”
Joshua is also very positive about his contact with 24/7 drive. “I have one regular contact person and they regularly get in touch to ask how things are going. You’re not just a number. That personal contact is very important to me.”
The best routes
Joshua has now been driving a tipper truck for a year. He transports materials such as sand, asphalt and soil for road construction and forestry projects. His work takes him to new places all the time.
“One day you’re working alongside the motorway, the next you’re driving through small villages or working in a nature area. Sometimes you spend a few days on the same project, but most of the time every day is different. That variety keeps the job interesting for me.”
His favourite working days? “I get into the truck at around five in the morning and drive, for example, to Rotterdam to load. Then I continue to Zeeland and at the end of the day I drive back to the company. I love driving long distances.”
Continuing to develop
Joshua is still learning. Through 24/7 drive, he has now started training for his CE driving licence. “Huigevoort asked whether I was interested. After that, 24/7 drive arranged everything. First the medical examination, and soon I’ll start the lessons. With my CE licence, I’ll be able to carry out even more types of transport, including transporting machinery.”
How does he combine lessons with work? “24/7 drive and Huigevoort are very flexible. I send them my lesson times and they plan my work schedule around them.”
The same passion, a different profession
Although Joshua now works in a completely different profession, he also sees many similarities with his previous work. “It’s a job where you can put something of yourself into the work in a positive way. Before, I made dishes. Now I help build new roads. In the end, you’re working on something tangible that other people benefit from. That gives me the same sense of satisfaction.”
Joshua therefore looks to the future with confidence. “I can see myself doing this work for a long time. I never thought I would become a truck driver, but I’ve found another profession that I’m genuinely proud of.”
Ready for a new direction as a driver too? View our vacancies.