RHA forges ahead with management courses
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THE IMPACT of the grant/levy system of the Road Transport Industry Training Board has been slow in being felt in road transport management education and training. Indeed, when the WITTB was formed in 1966,1 was confident that the uncultivated ground of management trtlining would be quickly tilled. This has not been the case; instead, there has been a rather haphazard distribution of courses provided by a medley of organizations with the majority of promoters never terribly clear where the courses should proceed and for whom they ought to be intended.
But a more cohesive pattern is fast coming into focus with much of the fog in this provision, which has existed for the past four years, being dispelled. Clearly, the longterm planning and the influence of the RT1TB is beginning to pay some dividends. To consolidate its work, to signpost general policy and underline the importance of management training and education, the WITTB appointed a working party last autumn to look into all aspects of the problem and its findings have now been forwarded to the Board. There has, of course, been the further stimulus of quality licensing and, especially, the proposed transport manager's licence. Although nothing to date has been decided about the form of the TML, it is quite clear that forthcoming proposals will change the mood concerning management training in road haulage.
Two years ago the Road Haulage Association in response to these developments, established an education and training committee. It was, of course, at a desperately late stage for a large trade association to involve itself for the first time officially in educational problems but there can be no doubt that progress has been made in doublequick time, especially in management training. Encouraged by the success of courses in the autumn, the RHA is now planning a comprehensive programme for senior management in the public haulage sector. During the year, three are to be held at Ashridge College, Herts, on March 17-21, June 23-27 and November 17-21, with two at Strathclyde University, Glasgow, for Scottish and Northern counties' hauliers from May 5-9 and October 20-24. The RHA considers that the five-day residential course has much to commend it because over such a length of time a fairly comprehensive cover can be attempted. Its view has been well vindicated as only five vacancies now remain for the Ashridge courses. I mentioned in the autumn that too many subjects were embraced in the initial courses making for perhaps too indigestible a diet. In following up those who attended the original Ashridge course (a formal day meet ing is planned in March), the RHA found that the "consumers" want more lectures and talks! Examining the requests a little more closely, however, the demand lies in emphasis towards economics (for example, the role of road haulage within the general economy) and in road transport costing.
This bears out my own observations that economics and costing are the subjects most needed and in most demand for management courses. This may appear rather odd as it might be expected that hauliers would shy away from much of the theory involved before practical costing can begin. Happily, realization of the arbitrary nature of so much current costing, plus the jerk given by the quality licensing proposals has led to an acceptance of a much more disciplined approach.
Local RHA branches are enthusiastically forging ahead with courses for lower levels of haulage management and have had an excellent response. It is important that the two functions should be separated and the system should work well provided headquarters and the local branches are in close co-ordination. Thus, the RHA is making remarkable progress in this field-developments in other sectors will be reviewed next week.