by Angie Pollock

Created on: April 08, 2010

UPS announced in April 2010 that they were in the midst of hiring 25,000 new drivers – but there is a catch.  Potential hires must pass training which includes virtual instruction on becoming a driver for UPS. Between 2010 and 2015, driving positions will become available due to workers retiring from the company.  And most know that UPS pay averages $70,000 to $75,000 a year - a great income for most American families.  The company has revamped their training program in preparation for the new job applicants.

Before the training program was overhauled, potential UPS employees were mostly trained with books and lectures.  Now individuals that aspire for a career with UPS will have to undergo hands-on and virtual training at a facility near Washington, DC. Another training facility is in the works to open in Chicago.

The training involves a driving and delivery test, a video game to test driving abilities, quickness and reliability, and sales skills, among other tasks.  An obstacle course that involves the “slip and fall” machine is also part of the extensive 1-week training course.

Following this training, job hopefuls then will learn the “340 methods” of being a UPS driver which centers on driver safety and improvements.  One of these methods is learning to wear the keys on the ring finger so they never have to be searched for which can help cut back on a driver's time.

Video games include testing potential hires on their abilities which includes putting the person in a virtual room where they must identify packages from UPS competitors. During one video training segment, the trainee must successfully complete 5 deliveries within 19 minutes. It’s the details that are important – even learning the UPS pace of 2.5 paces per second.  Everything from their driving to their uniform’s appearance is tested.

UPS will be replacing retiring Baby Boomer drivers with a younger employee.  They believe that these younger drivers will respond and learn better with the more modern training.  Results from the change are already showing promise.  Prior to the new training, 30 percent of new applicants failed the training which dropped to 10 percent during the initial experiment.

The UPS company is a sought after employer because of its many benefits and excellent pay – the reason why so many are retiring from the company after many years of service.

UPS is an Atlanta-based company that employs approximately 99,000 workers.  Their operations can be found in over 200 countries with about 400,000 employees worldwide.  UPS often hires drivers from within the company which means starting as a package handler can often lead to greater opportunities.  Information on applying for a UPS job can be found at the UPS career website.

Sources: 

https://upsjobs.managehr.com/indexMini.aspx?cid=94&lid=1

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/fl-ups-jobs-tra ining-20100408,0,7990894.story

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