Problems and prospects of engineering training
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The difficulties to be overcome in matching maintenance facilities to the growing number of commercial vehicles are examined by the secretarygeneral to the Institute of Road Transport Engineers
THE SCOPE of the Road Transport Industry Training Board covers all aspects of the industry including the supply of trained engineers adequate in both skill and number. Because of the vital nature of this sector of road transport education the Board considers this problem a first priority.
To quantify the size of this problem is difficult because of the lack of official statistics. But allowing, in round figures, for a ratio Of 1 fitter to 10 vehicles because of the large number of small fleets, the present commercial vehicle population of over 1.5m vehicles would give a required number of fitters as around 150,000. A rough estimate of the actual number employed in professional road haulage is less than one-tenth that figure. Even allowing for an admittedly large number of commercial vehicles either self-maintained by drivers or owner drivers there must still remain a large deficit to be filled.
Moreover, this adverse position will become more acute, unless an expanding training programme is quickly put into operation, for two reasons. The number of commercial vehicles continues to expand and new legislation will demand higher standards of vehicle maintenance than hitherto.
It was against this background that Mr. J. A. Fletcher, secretary-general to the Institute of Road Transport Engineers, addressed a one-day seminar in London last month organized by Davies and Robson, transport consultants, of Croydon.
Apart from the continuing expansion of the industry, Mr. Fletcher emphasized at the outset that there was a basic reason for training road transport engineers. Because transport was a service industry it was imperative that the cost should be kept to a minimum. The proportion of costs attributable to maintenance and repairs, however, averaged out at about one-fifth of the total.
Prime objective
Therefore the prime objective of transport engineering staff was to achieve maximum availability of vehicles throughout their economic life at minimum cost. The skills of such staff obviously influenced vehicle operating costs, with which was associated the training of staff to acquire or improve their skills.
Here Mr. Fletcher reminded delegates that the final outcome of training, which could easily be forgotten, was to show a benefit in commercial terms. It had now become easier to demonstrate this benefit with the statutory encouragement of the Industrial Training Act, the implications of the Road Safety Act and the penalties it laid down for allowing poorly maintained vehicles to be on the road.
In effect, Mr. Fletcher commented, the Road Safety Act was itself a criticism of the lack of training in the industry.
Examining the growth of the industry Mr. Fletcher referred to forecasts given in the report by the Economic Development Committee for Motor Vehicle Distribution and Repair published in July. A conclusion drawn in this report was that the rate of growth in maintenance and repair work would continue and amount to 40 per cent in the next 12 years. But it was expected that design improvements would result in less frequent routine maintenance.
Deductions to be drawn from this report on a national basis, were that the number of staff required to keep the fleet of commercial vehicles roadworthy would continue to grow at its present rate, Mr. Fletcher claimed. But improved design and increased use of exchange units would be offset by the need to operate more test equipment and to meet the higher standards demanded by annual inspection.
The more objective the training, coupled with efficient workshop layout, the fewer would be the men required to keep vehicles roadworthy at minimum cost. But, Mr. Fletcher admitted, sufficient were not at present available nor would they be available for some time.
Turning from the growth, supply and demand on a national basis Mr. Fletcher then pin-pointed methods of assessing the labour requirements of individual firms. First one had to deal with the decision of either running one's own workshop or employing the services of a maintenance or repair garage.
The former method was the most widely used by commercial vehicle fleet operators whilst contracting out maintenance would not absolve operators under the new legislation. But even if it was contracted out the ability to assess staff and training requirements would be of advantage to the operators.
Mr. Fletcher then dealt with the engineering skills required to run a fleet efficiently and competitively. The principles involved in determining the quantity and quality of training to be undertaken, he insisted, should follow a logical sequence.
First a study should be made of responsibilitits for and authority over the transport department generally. This should lead to determining responsibility for vehicle selection, purchase and disposal, together with the general organization of engineering staff and workshop facilities. This examination at management level should also lead to the formulating of job description, at least so far as a knowledge of engineering was concerned. This process of job description led to the next stage, namely detailing engineering skills required for the job. Some administrative skills could be involved, but an attempt at definition was essential so that the requirements could be assessed.
Having reached the stage of definition of skills required by a foreman, skilled fitter or mechanic the assessment then had to be made as to whether their existing ability matched the requirements. If not, the amount of training required to bridge the gap had to be determined.
To make proper recommendations for technical training Mr. Fletcher claimed that it was necessary for a qualified and experienced engineer to carry out, or join in, this exercise.
Varying skills The skills required of foremen, fitters and mechanics are the ability, in varying degrees, to inspect and identify incorrect adjustment, excessive wear and diagnose faults on the various types of vehicles in the fleet. He must be able to operate all test equipment and appreciate the performance of such equipment. In replacing defective parts or complete units he should he able to assist in advising on the choice between two alternatives.
The final level of employee where some skill and knowledge of engineering appears to warrant this process of assessment of engineering training, is in the case of workshop labour, including cleaning staff and drivers. Although described as the final level Mr. Fletcher said that it might well be the level at which the greatest potential for development existed.
In giving such training to drivers, for example, the object would not be to produce an "instant" or "pseudo" mechanic who might do more harm than good. It was to produce more eyes and ears to help in the work of inspection and detection of mechanical faults before, or as soon as, they arise. Backed by an effective system of reporting, routine checks could be derived for all these categories of staff.
Here Mr. Fletcher added that the official Testers' Manual just published was a good example of devising a scheme of "who does ' what".
Having suggested the method of establishing training requirements the •problem then to be met was where, how and when to provide the training at justifiable cost. To do this he suggested it was best to follow, in reverse, the sequence taken for job specification because the training at the lower level must have as one of its objectives the promotion and advancement of individuals to the next level.
So far as workshop labour was concerned, including cleaning and washing staff and drivers, Mr. Fletcher said on-the-job training was the bet approach. As to where this should take place a substantial proportion of small fleet operators might not be able to provide on-the-job training and therefore the facilities of a local • but larger firm should be investigated.
Here, Mr. Fletcher said, the regional RTIBT facilities would be of interest to both small and medium fleet operators, quite apart from their advice to all operators.
For younger men, especially drivers, the examinations of the Royal Society of Arts in transport subjects, and particularly the elements of road transport engineering, might be useful as a theoretical counterpart to practical work.
The facilities for formal training became much wider and more numerous at the next higher level of employment. Another consideration now arose regarding the level of general education already achieved which, together with age, gave some indication of the employee's ability to assimilate further technical training.
However, Mr. Fletcher contended that it was better to plan for an attempt to acquire greater skills and then have to withdraw rather than not to start at all. The level of previous general education achieved was not as important as enthusiasm and ambition irrespective of age.
Note must also be taken of the increasing interest in adult education and the likelihood of the-most unlikely trainee becoming interested in and acquiring skills late in life. Here Mr. Fletcher said that he had known cases in his own Institute where men over 40 had acquired Mechanical Engineers' qualifications through examinations.
Fitters who have not achieved the City and Guilds (168) Mechanic's Certificate—and figures showed a large number in this category—should be encouraged to do so and those already with the 168 should go for the 170—the Technician's Certificate. Whilst this was mainly general theory, it could be applied to any type and make of vehicle.
Engineering training at management level covered such subjects as specification and selection of vehicles together with workshop organization. Mr. Fletcher said that the examination scheme of the Institute included all this under the title "Transport engineering —practice and regulations". But this only touched on the range of engineering responsibilities which could include equipment and buildings.