The Common Roo
Page 82
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By George Wilmot
MLecturer in Transport Studies, University of London
EDUCATIONAL BODIES IN TRANSPORT The Industrial Transport Association
H a membership which has now reached the 2,000 mark, the Industrial Transport Association next year will celebrate 40 years in transport education. The Association has always been specifically geared to the needs of transport interests in industry —and thus predominantly with road transport—and was founded as a separate entity from the Institute of Transport which in 1927 was almost entirely devoted to the educational needs of the providers of public transport.
The primary purpose of the ITA is to promote "the scientific education and training of persons engaged in. . . the profession of industrial transport management". To achieve these ends the Association has a full examination structure with graduateship and associateship awards, and promotes national conferences and a wide range of meetings throughout its twelve divisions in Great Britain.
These purposes are admirable, but in their examination structure the ITA appears to have lost its way. It seems odd that an association catering for a specific kind of transport should have an examination scheme which is almost identical with the Institute of Transport's scheme.
There are differences of a minor character; the IoT syllabus is fuller in the associateship with additional papers, whilst the ITA has a special paper in industrial transport management. The Association's question papers, however, have a refreshing tendency to force candidates to use their facts and argue a particular point of view. Like the IoT, a thesis may be presented instead of an examination for those of mature years seeking the associateship.
A great deal of work, effort and thought has been put into the examination structure by the ITA. In view of this effort, it is rather discouraging that the number of examination entries should be small, averaging about 100-120 for the graduateship and an equal number for the associateship. In these circumstances it is possible for only one centre in Great Britain—the East London College of Commerce—to organize LEA classes specifically for this examination. In all the other centres intending students normally have to follow the courses for the IoT syllabus. Thus, the Association is forced, for practical reasons of numbers, to construct a scheme of study which must be very similar to the IoT.
At its present examination size the ITA is too small to achieve many of its principal aims. Nevertheless, it is heartening that it has already made a number of arrangements for co-operation with other educational bodies and has a great willingness to extend these arrangements.
There is a flexibility of approach and a desire to go forward with new educational ideas in transport. I believe the ITA could play a leading part in bringing educational bodies in transport much closer together. In following this critically important line, the ITA would clearly enhance the prestige of the transport men in industry, especially those concerned with C-licensed fleets.