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U t has been around for only five

17th February 2000
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Page 53, 17th February 2000 — U t has been around for only five
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Keywords : Examinations

months, but the new-style CPC exam already strikes fear into the heart of aspiring transport managers. Frank Wood, partner in Transed Associates in Leek. Staffordshire. has been involved with CPC training since its

U t has been around for only five

months, but the new-style CPC exam already strikes fear into the heart of aspiring transport managers. Frank Wood, partner in Transed Associates in Leek. Staffordshire. has been involved with CPC training since its creation in the mid-1970s. "It's by far the biggest change in its history." he says. "We had a pass rate of about 40% in October—we would normally expect it to be 90-95%".

The changes are intended to increase professionalism and harmonise standards of entry to the hire-and-reward sector across the EU. A new written section is causing the most problems. So far. 46% of 1,643 candidates have failed it in the national CPC exam, and 6:r% of the 350 candidates sitting the international CPC exam.

Previously candidates faced a series of multiple-choice questions, giving them a onein-four chance of getting the right answer even if they had no idea about it Although some multiple choice remains, the addition of a 90-minute written exam means candidates have to outline how they would respond to typical situations facing a transport manager.

Simon Banks, exam manager for OCR, the CPC examining body, says: "In the past, candidates needed to know what certain things were. Now they need to be able to interpret a profit and loss account, prepare a budget and implement procedures. It is a big change in the qualification."

Deeper understanding

'the writtciisections are not a test of grammar and spelling, but the answers do need to be intelligible to the examiner. Banks says the syllabus is not significantly different from the old one: "The actual content has not expanded hugely, but it requires deeper understanding because people are not being tested about just knowledge."

Dave Green, the Freight Transport Association's head of training, says 59% of its candidates passed the national CPC written paper when it was used for the first time, and he believes this will prove an exceptionally low figure in the long term. "October was going to be a surprise to everybody to a greater or lesser extent," he adds. "I would have thought that 95% of candidates are capable of passing with the right level of preparation and study. There are a very few people who are virtually unteachable."

Andrew Davidson is a trainer with Friendberry, which provides correspondence and classroom-based CPC courses. He believes

the difficulties the written sections pose are exaggerated: "The fear spreading through the industry is greater than it needs to be. At the end of the day. it is down to dealing with simple figures."

Perhaps more worrying is the amount of time and money now needed to qualify for a CPC. Transed Associates continues to provide six days for the national and three days for the international course, but it says the training time has still had to be increased during these periods. The 17A has added an optional extra day to its courses, specifically to deal with answering the case study questions, which adds Lr55 to the cost. Friendberry has increased its course from six to eight days. pushing the price up by £1.50 to £640. which includes an element of residential cost, as well as the exam fee.

Val Holmes failed the case study sections of both the national and international CPC exams in December after taking a course with Area Training Services. "The course was so intense," she says. "You just can't be expected to learn so much in a week." Holmes sat the exam because her employer, Cambridgeshirebased wholesale nursery R Delamore, needs a new CPC holder for its fleet of four trucks. She argues that much of the material covered is totally irrelevant to her job.

"I just want the CPC so I can know how to run these lorries legally, but there were lots of things in the case study which were not relevant," says Holmes. -1 did not take in the bits on doing accounts, because we have our own accountant, so it was just not necessary. Somebody who is going to be a transport manager does not need to know about sick pay. There were six double sides of A4 text to learn just on maternity benefit."

She will sit the exam again, but says there is no time to go away for another ct because spring is her busiest time at wo

The exam might be harder, but thosi pass could end up with a far more val qualification as a result. Dave Green "What I hope we will end up with is a fication that is better accepted as a true cation of someone's ability, and a good of background knowledge in the tran arena. In time I would expect that co nies and employers will recognise it ing real rather than just academic Until now, the CPC has been looked something you have to have if nominat the Operator's Licence. Other than thal relatively easy to obtain."

National framework

Ian Hetheringion, chiel executive or the Haulage and Distribution Training Col agrees: "It did not imply any previous e) ence or full understanding. Despite its n the CPC is not a test of competence. In it vious form it was a test of knowledge, am not even an adequate test of understand

But he argues that further changes an necessary: "The CPC has always fallen ot, the national framework of qualifications we would like to see it brought in." He making it a national qualification would reduce the cost of passing the exam and ; holders to use it as a step to gaining hi qualifications in road transport.


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