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A timely reminder

18th August 2011, Page 16
18th August 2011
Page 16
Page 17
Page 16, 18th August 2011 — A timely reminder
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

The clock is ticking on the Operator CPC qualification and any transport manager who hasn’t passed all its modules only has until December to qualify – or face paying more to take it

Words: Louise Cole

WITH ALL THE limelight hogged by the failure to get enough drivers through the Driver Certiicate of Professional Competence (CPC) qualiications, it’s not surprising the Operator CPC has slipped under the radar.

Unlike the Driver CPC, where there is still a slim chance enough drivers could get through before the 2013 deadline, under EU Regulation 1071/2009, anyone who is only part-qualiied for the Operator CPC after the last examination date of 2 December this year will have to start again. To add insult to injury for any transport manager, the new course will be longer and more expensive. Those with professional body qualiications have sometimes been exempt from needing the CPC. However, after December no more exemptions will be granted and some professional bodies – such as the Society of Engineers – say their members do not have an automatic exemption (see box). Worryingly, thousands of people could need to check their qualiications and apply now.

Isobel Harding, the FTA national training manager, says: “People have until 2 December to complete their national CPC exams. If they already hold a national CPC and want the international one too, then they have until the end of 2012 to do so. However, re-sits for those who fail the national exam will not be available, so provision will have to be made by businesses to plan ahead, otherwise the exams will have to be taken under the new syllabus.

“We don’t know the cost difference or the duration and curriculum difference yet as this will be down to what the awarding bodies decide to do, but we are expecting to know in October.

“The argument for changing legislation is all part of harmonising standards of operator licensing across Europe. This has to be a good thing in general, and will at least make sure that all drivers from all over Europe will be held by the same standards.”

Spaces becoming scarce

Much like the Driver CPC, the fear is that as the deadline approaches, the space on courses will become scarce. Derek Broomield, MD at training organisation Novadata, says: “We run a course in October for the December exams, but we are turning new candidates away. If they take the course and fail a module, they will have no opportunity to resit – we don’t believe it is fair not to warn people.” Novadata’s course comprises 35 hours’ tuition followed by 50 hours of home study. “I explain to people that they are effectively doing an A-level in a week,” says Broomield.

He is right to say the Operator CPC is not easy: those sitting it must pass modules that include a 45-minute multiple choice paper, a one-hour multiple choice paper, and a two-hour case study paper. Transport managers can resit any paper, but the impending deadline is piling on the pressure. If they do not pass any outstanding modules in the December exams, they will have to start the course again and the new syllabus will include the international CPC material.

There have been approximately 4,000 exam entries a year for the Operator CPC, spread over four modules.

The irst module had an average pass rate of 58.4% from March 2010 to 2011, while the inal module had an average pass rate of 44%. It is therefore possible that up to half of those candidates who sat the exams – some 500 – will have to resit one or more modules during 2011.

Novadata is going through its records to ensure that anyone with outstanding modules is contacted to ensure they know the deadlines for resitting or have already taken the exams elsewhere.

The new syllabus will not be available until October, but Broomield warns it will probably make the courses at least 20% more expensive. “It isn’t the money that is a problem for people though, as much as the extra time off work. We have offered a twoweek course in the past, but it has low take-up.” However, the current syllabus requires a total of 105 hours’ study for the national CPC and another 50 for the international. It is hard to see how tutors could combine even the essential elements of the two courses into less than a 10-day course.

Combined courses

The Road Haulage Association’s head of training Steve Ellis says: “No-one knows what the cost differences will be as we don’t know the awarding bodies, or their exam charges.

We plan to extend our own courses from eight days for the national and three days international to a combined course of 10 days. The price will be published once we have agreed the best structure of each day and the way the training days are spread across a number of weeks.” Whatever form the future structure takes, operators have been caught short and will end up out of pocket.

Harding says: “There is still time for this legislative change to be factored into companies’ training plans, but the window of opportunity is closing.

“Our advice would be to act sooner rather than later to avoid potential cost and disruption.”

Exactly what level of cost and disruption there will be remains to be seen. ■


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