Volvo’s ‘Iron Women’ Initiative Opens New Doors for Female Truck Drivers in Malaysia

By Danial Martinus  •  06 Sep 2024 in News

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Women in Malaysia are stepping into roles once dominated by men, and Volvo Malaysia is helping to pave the way.

In partnership with the Ministry of Women, Family, and Community Development, Volvo Malaysia has launched the Volvo Iron Women initiative, and recently celebrated the graduation of its first group of female heavy-duty truck drivers.

Women can drive big trucks, too

Designed to train and certify women to drive heavy-duty trucks, the programme aims to place women in fields that they’ve traditionally had a limited presence in. Five women graduated from the inaugural course, and all have been employed by Taipanco Sdn Bhd, a major player in the logistics industry.

“Volvo Iron Women has enjoyed much success globally and we are very excited to see the opportunities it will unlock with Malaysia as a pioneer of the programme in the Southeast Asia region,” said Johan Selvén, Vice President of Volvo Trucks International.

Anthony O’Connell, Managing Director of Volvo Malaysia, highlighted the importance of the programme, saying, “The Volvo Iron Women programme is a testament of our commitment to educating women to qualify as heavy-duty commercial truck drivers. We are deeply encouraged by the support of the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry in partnering with us to advance the Iron Women programme for the long term.”

“Our Iron Women graduates are truly inspiring and we are honoured to play a part in empowering them to provide for their families and contribute as valued talent in the industry.”

 

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Minister of Women, Family, and Community Development (KPWKM), YB Dato’ Sri Hajah Nancy Shukri, praised the initiative for being a “shining example” of how public and private sectors can work together. She also emphasised that the programme is an important step towards reducing gender disparities in the workforce.

“Congratulations to the Iron Women graduates for completing the training with flying colours. Not forgetting also, the support of their family members who enable our Iron Women to give their undivided attention to the training programme,” she said.

Taipanco Executive Director, Dato’ Nazari Akhbar, noted the untapped potential of women in this field, highlighting the importance of having dependable and skilled truck drivers to sustain business growth.

How the Volvo Iron Women programme works

It all begins with the undertaking of lessons and exams through an authorised driving institution to obtain a Class E license to drive heavy vehicles.

After completing a health evaluation, the women then progress to the next stage: Obtaining a goods driving license (GDL). They do this by attending a seven-hour lecture and theory exam (all costs are borne by the employing company).

But there are different types of GDLs — light vehicles, heavy vehicles (kejur), and jointed vehicles (bersendi). Women involved in the Volvo Iron Women programme are trained to drive jointed vehicles (which in most cases is a huge container truck).

KPWKM has also pledged to support these women by providing training on how to handle gender bias and harassment, and by setting up a hotline for counselling and advice. The aim is to create a supportive environment for women entering this male-dominated industry.

More female truck drivers in the future

With the first batch of graduates already employed, Volvo is gearing up for its 2025 intake, aiming to train around 100 women by the end of next year. The course duration varies depending on the participant’s experience, ranging from three days for those already holding a license, to eight weeks for newcomers.

The Volvo Iron Women programme started globally in 2016, and has trained 820 women worldwide to date.

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