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P LETTER OF THE WEEK

27th March 2008, Page 17
27th March 2008
Page 17
Page 17, 27th March 2008 — P LETTER OF THE WEEK
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It's time to raise the training game

THE REPORT ON CM'S Operators' panel (CM, 21 February, 'Attraction or deterrent') contained an interesting variety of opinions about the effects of the Driver CPC, but there seemed to be a consensus that older drivers would quit the industry rather than retrain.

That this opinion should be so universally held is a terrible indictment of the quality of training currently offered to truck drivers. It assumes training is something that is done to you, and which is likely to be so miserable, boring and demanding that you'd consider giving up your job to avoid it.

There are many reasons why this opinion is so widely held, but that is no reason not to challenge it. I recently spoke to a group of managers who'd just completed a short course, which they had thoroughly enjoyed. I asked what they found so good about it. "We thought we were going to be preached at, but it wasn't like that at all," they told me.

It is the 'being trained equals being preached at' misapprehension that the industry needs to tackle head on. Training providers have got to raise their game and start marketing training that is interesting, informative and thought provoking, and which people might actually benefit from and enjoy.

Also, managers and owners need to start being a lot more demanding when it comes to being customers of training provision, either bought externally or sourced from within their firms. They're going to pay for it, so they have the right to demand a quality product.

I met a coach operator in Somerset last year, who said that when he sent his drivers on a course, he expected them to be entertained. If there were more people with expectations that matched his, and who refused to pay for 'tedious' and `unentertaining' training, then maybe the mass exodus of older drivers won't happen after all.

Michael Woodgate Regional manager (South West England) Skills for Logistics

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