86 PRIVATE HIRE AND TAXI MONTHLY


JANUARY 2009 TRAINING FOR QUALITY


We are pleased to introduce a new regular feature called TRAINING FOR QUALITY which will provide an insight into the impor- tance of training within the Taxi Industry today. The articles will be written by Steve Clarke, Managing Director, CAB Business Solutions and will look at the training of driv- ers, call centre staff, how to develop and deliver a quality programme and various aspects that will provide an insight into the importance of training and competence with- in the Taxi Industry today.


As part of the regular feature will be the opportunity to answer a small number of questions that are posed each month. Please email steve.clarke@cabbusiness.co.uk with your questions.


STARTING ON THE LEARNER JOURNEY Being a Hackney or PHV driver is the only profes- sional vocational driving job that does not require a professional qualification today; this is changing, with a number of Licensing Authorities making a qualification mandatory, also many organisations issuing contracts requiring the successful Taxi Operators to be able to offer evidence of profes- sional standards.


Now with the availability of Train To Gain funding for self employed Hackney/ PHV Drivers there is no reason for any professional driver not to make Continuing Professional Development (CPD) a key investment item for the new year. Gone are the days when one could ignore CPD - it is here to stay, both in work and in recreation and hobbies - Sports Referees and Coaches have to maintain their own CPD. There are of course many Hack- ney/PHV Drivers who do not see the importance of undertaking training and resist it at all costs but is this a short sighted action? For at the moment there is funding from the Government to allow any in our professional Trade to work for and earn a nationally recognised award that proves profes- sionalism against the national standards.


Starting on the Learner Journey is a decision that must be taken with a full understanding of what it means in terms of commitment and outcome. At the end of the journey, Professionals will achieve an NVQ Level 2 in Road Passenger Vehicle Driving, with where appropriate an Edexcel Level 2 BTEC Award in Transporting Passengers by Taxi and Pri- vate Hire.


It is essential that YOU choose a path to suit your needs – this may be through a local college or with a private training provider but whichever option is chosen make sure that you are committed to start and finish the programme. Remember that not fin- ishing the course is in reality no different to you having a runner on a Saturday night - reputations are hard won and very easy to destroy - so have a chat with whoever the trainer or assessor is and see what they sound like, what skills do they have, what Hackney /PHV experience do they bring to the table - how many candidates have they guided through the process already?


When Train To Gain started for Hackney/ PHV any- one who did not have a Level 2 qualification (5 GCSEs or equivalent) was entitled to access fund- ing, but now this has been changed to recognise the needs of the Taxi Industry. From August this year even if you have a higher level qualification in a different area will mean that you are entitled to access funding for gaining a qualification in Taxi/PHV. You should not have to pay for the quali- fication as the funding allows for the whole cost of the qualification to be covered. Also beware if the training provider is offering you money to under- take the training, is that what the funding is meant for?


So look at what is on offer and how long it will take you to complete the whole training programme – it is not possible to complete the training in an hour, or even a week. The whole programme will take around 3 months from start to finish as the norm, then you may have to wait a short while for the for- mal certificate to be issued. Your assessor, if used


to applying educational best practice, will not be rushing you, but will plan the various events with you in advance and will keep a record of contact time that can be audited at a later date. You can expect to be telephoned by third parties to see how you are getting on - and if your writing or read- ing or number work is not great this will not stop you from getting your award; your assessor should be able to guide and encourage you in ways that will give you new skills by the end of the course.


All assessors should be able to show you their own certificates in competence to allow them to do this work - a bit like your own licence - no ticket / no certificate means they are not qualified so be wary...would you recommend a friend to get into an unmarked cab?


Look at what and how the Training Provider works and what is their previous experience – have they trainers and assessors who have experience of the Taxi Industry or are they just providing courses because they have space, access to funding or spare capacity. It is important that when delivering a course you are able to engage with and make the training interesting and add valuable experience and anecdotes.


Good trainers and assessors will happily tell you about their own vocational real life experience in the trade - there are some people training who have years of solid experience, both as assessors and trainers and as professional drivers and then some who have none at all - again ask yourself do you have a vehicle that is fit for purpose and that you have serviced by professionals you trust or do you use any old mobile mechanic who you never see again?


BTEC + NVQ together provides the under- pinning knowledge of the Taxi Industry and is a preferred route for many new and existing drivers.


Once you have decided to undertake a course of training and have seen what is on offer, ask for tes- timonials and case studies as this will confirm that you are making the right choice. The likely next stage is to undertake some form of Induction which will explain how the training programme will work and will also be the completion of the required paperwork to secure funding; there may also be some training given at this stage. An induc- tion can take on average between one and four hours.


After the induction paperwork has been approved the classroom element of the training programme will then commence. Some training providers offer intensive courses over two days, four days or oth- ers offer them on a weekly basis (for a number of hours per week); the minimum requirement is 15 hours classroom attendance to meet funding guidelines. All in all these must be tailored to the needs of the learners and take into account their working patterns and commitments. If the Hack- ney/PHV Driver undertakes an Edexcel BTEC then there will be a requirement to undertake two online examinations (60 minutes and 80 minutes).


Either running concurrently or after the course will be the completion of the NVQ portfolio and in-vehi- cle assessments where observations, witness statements and evidence will be collected.


Remember – Train – Assess – Train – these are so important; you must not only attend training but get assessed on the training that you have had!


Once all the relevant information has been processed and signed off the Taxi/PHV Driver will be presented with either one or two certificates. This will mean that you have achieved the Level 2 NVQ in Road Passenger Vehicle Driving (RPVD).


Does the Learner Journey end here?


For some the answer will be ‘yes’ as you will have achieved what you set out to, either by choice or out of need to retain your licence. For others you may want to go on to become better at reading writing number work, perhaps gain a formal exam pass in one of those subjects or even train to become a BTEC Trainer or NVQ assessor yourself.


UNDERSTANDING THE JARGON There is a lot of confusion out in the Taxi market- place today and unfortunately there are many organisations who do not help to dispel some of the myths and misconceptions that abound re training. It is essential that Taxi Drivers, Taxi Operators and Licensing Authorities make decisions about training based on full and accurate information. This article has been written to describe what it all means.


GoSkills - is the Sector Skills Council (SSC) for passenger transport. Licensed by Government, their mission is to work with employers UK-wide to improve the skills that make a difference to the per- formance of the passenger transport sector. They are not a Training provider but are active in the pro- motion of training. They are based in Solihull West Midlands and have a regional presence across the UK. GoSkills is active in the promotion of training to all areas of the Taxi Industry - www.goskills.org


LSC – Learning and Skills Council – Respon- sible for funding and planning education and training for over 16-year- olds in England. There are nine regions across the country and they approve and issue contracts to Colleges and Pri- vate Training Providers. Currently the majority of funding that is available for training within the Taxi Industry is via TTG – Train To Gain - www.lsc.gov.uk.


Awarding Bodies – these are the organisations that are accredited to develop and deliver voca- tional and professional qualifications. The three awarding bodies that have made available the Level 2 NVQ in Road Passenger Vehicle Driving are:-


• City & Guilds • Edexcel • EDI (Education Development International)


Two of the awarding bodies, Edexcel and EDI, also offer their own qualifications for taxi and private hire drivers:-


- Edexcel Level 2 BTEC Award in Transporting Pas- sengers by Taxi and Private Hire


- EDI Level 2 Certificate in Road Passenger Trans- port (Taxi and Private Hire route)


Train to Gain Funding (TTG) – was introduced in 2006 to support those in employment to achieve a first level 2 qualification. This was a problem for Taxi and PHV drivers as the majority of Taxi / PHV drivers are self-employed, and therefore did not qualify for the funding. However, since October 2007 Train to Gain funding is now available for self- employed Taxi/PHV drivers to fund the NVQ level 2 in RPV Driving.


BTEC – The Business & Technology Educa- tion Council (BTEC) was a subdegree-conferring council in the United Kingdom until 1996, when its functions were transferred to Edexcel. The council offered further and higher education awards, BTEC qualifications are undertaken in vocational sub- jects and have an equivalence to other qualifications such as the GCSE and the A Level but a particular difference is that they tend to be based on practical work or coursework rather than timed examinations.


VRQ – Vocationally Related Qualifications – are non NVQ qualifications such as certificates, diplomas and post-graduate diplomas in manage- ment which are nationally recognised qualifications as indicated in the National Frame- work chart.


NVQ–are broad qualifications that recognise the breadth of skills and knowledge that an individual needs to have to be competent in their workplace, including a Taxi or PHV. The structure and content are defined by experts working in the industry. NVQs are driven centrally (through GoSkills - the Sector Skills Council working with industry and awarding bodies). This means that all individuals who achieve an NVQ will have had to demonstrate the same range of skills to the same level. A level 2 qualification is equivalent to 5 GCSEs.


Steve Clarke, CAB Business Solutions – steve.clarke@cabbusiness.co.uk


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