Totally agree, feel this is something we should all be concerned about. On the road to private self funded training is something most people dont want to see on the railways.Next step self funding training as per airlines, or a pre application qualification like the police.
The eLearning course was attempted down our way too. It failed miserably.
OH MY !"£¬"$£¬£"$£$
I know those people :/ Please Jebus don't let this crap be introduced at my TOC.
The trainees who took the save money and time course and then proceeded to be passed out only to riddle themselves with safety of the line incidents, including many on that very website. How many SPADs this year, LNER?Not contradicting what you say as I genuinely don't know, but how was it judged to be a failure and by whom?
Not contradicting what you say as I genuinely don't know, but how was it judged to be a failure and by whom?
The trainees who took the save money and time course and then proceeded to be passed out only to riddle themselves with safety of the line incidents, including many on that very website. How many SPADs this year, LNER?
You take on people and cost cut their training that's what happens, ask GTR.
I'll bet it can be administered well and be effective but my experience says it's for cost and time cutting purposes.
They started it and it became unworkable. It was quite clear about halfway through that it just wasn't working. The entire thing was cancelled. eLearning has various issues that will need to be resolved.
One of our Drivers was on the Network Rail run course that was run for a group of new entrants across various TOCs. This was part of the idea that Training Schools could be run outside of the TOCs and from a more centralised location. There would be a pool of Trainees who would already be rules trained and ready to start local rules, traction and manual handling. This idea kinda works and would lead to the inital process taken out of TOC control and essentially create a pathway where you pay to attend a course and gain a rules qualification before applying to a TOC. We almost outsourced our entire Training School but due to cost it was cancelled. IF a "Training Academy" was created then it could open up recruitment on a national level.
Whatever happens, its very clear that they wish to reduce the cost for the TOCs, provide vocational qualifications to the driving grade, and to open up the pathway to self funded training.
An interesting future ahead.
But, why? It's not like it's a hard job to recruit for. And the limiting factor in numbers will always be availability of DIs for train handling. Not something you can get round, even with a centralised rules academyThe first quote in this article from the project lead is “The idea of the academy is to increase the amount of trainee drivers in the industry”.
https://www.railstaff.co.uk/2019/03/13/the-train-drivers-academy/
I second this ten times..More and more experienced/burnt DIs are throwing in the towel on DI’ing as there’s little to no support from management if/when things go wrong through no fault of their own, combine with increased evidential paperwork required from DIs for little non pensionable premium why would you want to ?
Before I third this in my head, can I ask what a DI is, is that just a driving instructor?I second this ten times..
Before I third this in my head, can I ask what a DI is, is that just a driving instructor?
Yes, DI - Driver Instructor. Also called 'Mentor Drivers' They are experienced Drivers who will take you through the manual handling stage.
I am curious as to what actual train drivers desire to become! But that is a whole new thread for the future
Generally people are happy to stay as Drivers....
In regards to the thread, I think the idea of a train driver academy would only work if the TOCs chipped in and paid for the course places
Funnily enough, and I know it's not the same in the slightest,
Now I'm happy to work my rest days, best job I've done so far.