A growing distribution and warehouse company has set up a driver training academy to help fuel future growth and create 30 new jobs.

McCarthy Distribution, based on Wrexham Industrial Estate, is on course to increase turnover to £15 million after clinching a series of lucrative contracts.

As part of the deal for new drivers, McCarthy pay all the training costs to get them up to speed in exchange for the recruits signing up to stay on board for at least two years.

The total training costs total at around £6,000.

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McCarthy HR administrator Diane Howell said: “Staff retention here is excellent because McCarthy is a great company to work for but we are growing so there is a constant need to recruit new drivers.

“We’ve set up the academy essentially so that we can grow our own, starting with vans and then Class 1 level to drive rigid lorries and then on to articulated trucks."

Among the latest graduates of the academy is Connor Dudds, 22, who’s following in the tyre tracks of his truck-driving father and grandfather.

He said: “Driving trucks is in my DNA so I always knew that I wanted to become a driver.

“The training here has been excellent and I’m very happy to achieve my dream.

“The best thing was that I passed first time with zero minors or minor faults. So it was a perfect pass and really a proud moment. I phoned my dad straight away to let him know."

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According to trainer Kevin Dandy, the experience at McCarthy is a complete contrast to his own first day in the industry.

He said: “When I first started with a haulage company in Chester, they gave me three drops into London on my first day, whereas we look after our drivers here, and make sure that they know what they’re doing.

“We’ve got such a good team of drivers and the office staff are brilliant. It’s a really nice place to work."