GROWING up in Slovakia without a lot of money, Diana Takacsova could not have envisaged that a well-paid career driving trucks for a living might lie ahead of her.
But aged 34, and living in St Albans, Hertfordshire, she is now in her dream job, working as a fuel tank driver for Hoyer.
This is a firm specialising in bulk logistics for the chemical, petroleum, food and gas industries.
Diana’s basic salary is just under £55,000 a year, which includes a London allowance as she is based in Hemel Hempstead.
In addition, there is the potential to earn up to £2,000 per year in bonuses. There are also opportunities to work overtime.
Plus, a quick look on jobs site Indeed shows there are plenty of vacancies for anyone keen to follow a similar career.
Diana grew up in a small village in Slovakia with her mum, dad and older brother.
She told The Sun: “I had a very happy childhood, but we never had much money.
“My parents tended to live from one pay cheque to the next.
“We didn’t have much cash for luxuries, and while we did go on holiday, maybe once a year, this was just to the mountains in Slovakia.”
From the age of 14, Diana did a string of part-time jobs at the weekends and in the holidays.
This included selling ice cream, working on a shop floor, and helping out on local farms.
“I recall in one role, getting up at 4am to go and pick fruit,” she said.
“The hours were hard, but I got to take lots of fruit and vegetables home with me.”
As Diana spent a lot of time on farms, she was very used to big machinery.
“I was able to drive some big farm vehicles from a relatively young age,” she said.
“I remember as a relatively little girl thinking: ‘I love driving’. My interest in trucks and big vehicles just grew from there.”
One of the things Diana recalls her mum telling her was that if she wanted something, she’d have to earn the money to pay for it.
“Growing up, I really wanted a horse, as I used to do a kind of gymnastics on horseback,” she said.
“Eventually, after working hard and earning my own money, I got one – together with a friend.
“Working hard – especially when doing farm work which is really physical – I learned a lot about the value of money.”
While Diana stayed at school until she was around 19, and managed to gain the equivalent of two A-levels, she got pregnant soon after that.
As a result, she didn’t go on to university to get a degree.
“I gave birth to my son in 2010 when I was just 21,” she said.
“Being a mum at such an early age kind of put a hold on my dreams.”
After a tough period in her life, Diana moved to the UK in 2014, having split from her husband. Her son remained in Slovakia.
Diana wasted no time once she got here, and just two weeks after arriving, landed a job driving a forklift truck at Circle Express, a haulage company next to Heathrow Airport.
“I had my National Insurance number, forklift licence, and the relevant paperwork in place,” she said.
“When I went to an agency, and told them about my experience, I was able to get a job straight away.”
Diana was able to gain a lot of experience in this role, which set her up well for a career driving big vehicles.
“Just six months after starting at Circle Express as a forklift truck driver, I got promoted to supervisor,” she said.
“Some of the men weren’t very happy with a girl moving up the ranks quite that quickly.”
After around two years in that job, Diana did a stint in an office role at the company, but found this wasn’t for her.
“I ended up feeling trapped in an office,” she said.
“So I started talking to lots of different drivers to find out about the various qualifications I’d need to be a truck driver.
“I kept saying to myself ‘I’d always wanted to do that.’”
After passing her “Class 2” driving licence (for a rigid vehicle) and CPC licence, Diana got a job at another haulage company, Mixed Freight Services, based in Feltham.
She said: “After three years in this role, they put me through my ‘Class 1’ licence for articulated vehicles.”
A big turning point for Diana was when she sent her CV to Hoyer, the logistics firm she is currently employed by.
“I’d seen the Hoyer drivers while I was working around the airport,” she said.
“I always thought it was something I wanted to try.”
Hoyer took Diana on and gave her around three weeks of training at the outset.
“There was a lot to learn in this company,” she said.
“You have to listen really carefully to ensure you take everything on.
“There was a lot of information, and a lot of details about the strict procedures for truck drivers.”
Since joining Hoyer, Diana has been put through the various additional qualifications she needs.
This includes her ADR in “Class 3” and fuel tankers, PDP (petroleum driver passport).
The ADR licence allows her to drive vehicles carrying highly flammable substances.
Through hard work and determination, Diana has been able to succeed in the career she’d always dreamed of.
“I now spend my working week delivering much-needed fuel across the south-east of England. It’ a job that I absolutely love,” she said.
“I’ve progressed from driving forklift trucks for around £22,000 a year to driving huge fuel tankers – and earning not far off £60,000.
“It’s a career path with the potential for real progression, and real job satisfaction.”
Diana warns that training to become a truck driver takes a lot of time, hard work and commitment.
She said: “Working in a highly-skilled job that requires focus and control has meant a lot of time spent training.
“But by doing this, I’ve been able to fulfil my passion of truck driving – without a degree.”
The key, according to Diana, is to have your “Class 1” licence.
“Once you’ve got that, you can just drop your CV with a logistics firm – or with an agency specialising in jobs in logistics,” she said.
“You’ll then get called for a ‘day assessment’ where they’ll check your ability to drive a big vehicle safely.
“You’ll also need to have some basic maths skills.”
She adds that logistics firms tend not to be too fussy about applicants having a particular number of GCSEs or A-levels.
“You just need to have finished school, have a ‘Class 1’ licence, and have the right attitude towards learning,” she said.
“If you need more training and qualifications, your employer will usually put you through those.
“I want to show people from my career journey that you can make a success of your working life without going down the traditional route of university.”
If you like the sound of Diana’s career, then you need to be prepared to put the work in.
“Truck driving is a hard job, and lots of people give up along the way,” she said.
“It’s also very challenging, so you have to like a challenge.
If you’re transporting explosive substances, you also have to be happy with the idea of working in a dangerous job.”
The best candidates, according to Diana, tend to be those with a “can-do” attitude.
“I see truck driving as a task to do – and want to ensure I always finish that task,” she said.
“If you want a comfortable life, then it probably isn’t for you.”
Fitness is another “must-have”.
“There’s a lot of heavy lifting to be done,” said Diana. “I certainly get a workout doing what I do.
“But I also go to the gym regularly on top, in order to maintain my strength.”
Diana acknowledges that it’s not always easy pursuing a career in what is still largely viewed as a “man’s job”.
“But don’t be put off just because you’re a woman,” she said.
“I want women to know they can make it in a role such as this which is traditionally male-dominated.
“At the same time, I want to tell people – both men and women – that they can get a place in logistics, no matter their background or start in life.”
Diana is an ambassador for Generation Logistics, an awareness campaign for the logistics sector.
Separately, she has plans to climb Kilimanjaro in Tanzania in September next year, and is busy building her fitness for that.
You can also join our new Sun Money Facebook group to share stories and tips and engage with the consumer team and other group members.
