Professional development for drivers

[Zontar]

Apologies if this is the wrong forum, please move/delete as appropriate.

I also apologise if this sounds quite vague...

Do any companies provide buy on courses that are relevant to qualified drivers?

I.e specific traction training,
Freight basics, otm training

Reason I ask is a friend of mine is a qualified driver (not online) and has access to a pot of money for professional training and would love to get some specific relevant training under their belt if it can be paid for.

Happy to hear any suggestions. Thanks

 

[driver9000]

Pretty sure that's not possible and ongoing competence maintenance would be an issue.

 

[choochoochoo]

There are courses offered by Chartered Institute of Railway Operators.

Not sure if TOCs would sponsor drivers for positions on their courses but I know they do sponsor other staff members to do them.

 

[Zontar]

There are courses offered by Chartered Institute of Railway Operators.

Not sure if TOCs would sponsor drivers for positions on their courses but I know they do sponsor other staff members to do them.

Yes.

He's looking for more practical courses. Currently a passenger driver, basically looking for freight, loco, pway etc experience

 

[NorthernTech]

Yes.

He's looking for more practical courses. Currently a passenger driver, basically looking for freight, loco, pway etc experience

Why is a passenger driver looking for pway, freight or loco experience/courses should they be available? I would say if you want experience of these things outside of your day-to-day passenger job then look at local heritage lines, if it’s because they want experience to change work, then they perhaps just need to apply for freight work. I can’t imagine Avanti, for example, saying they have a course available to drivers to practice driving a class 66 or 37.

 

[Zontar]

Why is a passenger driver looking for pway, freight or loco experience/courses should they be available? I would say if you want experience of these things outside of your day-to-day passenger job then look at local heritage lines, if it’s because they want experience to change work, then they perhaps just need to apply for freight work. I can’t imagine Avanti, for example, saying they have a course available to drivers to practice driving a class 66 or 37.

Not entirely sure as is very happy settled in role after 10+ years, but I get the impression it's more of a ' nice to have' especially as it's potentially free.

 

[Atishyou]

Not entirely sure as is very happy settled in role after 10+ years, but I get the impression it's more of a ' nice to have' especially as it's potentially free.

Sounds to me like he's looking at working ad-hoc for a freight operator, which may be breaking his employment terms and conditions if that's the case.

There will probably be very few drivers who have up-to-date pway certification and I really can't see why they'd want this?

Instructor and assessor qualifications I can understand, but certification/ qualifications for driving freight locos or pway abilities raises eyebrows imo.

 

[Towers]

If your friend merely fancies a go in a loco, then some heritage lines will offer a 'Driver experience' day, where you can pay and have a day at the controls. Plenty of interesting diesel locos available; my father had a drive of a Class 33 a few years back. Steam also available, of course!

Otherwise, tell him to stop being daft and just enjoy his job! I can't honestly accept that an experienced mainline driver would think they could just nip off in their spare time and obtain and keep various qualifications to do other random unrelated jobs, they ought to have a pretty rounded understanding of how maintaining competence works!

 

[Zontar]

If your friend merely fancies a go in a loco, then some heritage lines will offer a 'Driver experience' day, where you can pay and have a day at the controls. Plenty of interesting diesel locos available; my father had a drive of a Class 33 a few years back. Steam also available, of course!

Otherwise, tell him to stop being daft and just enjoy his job! I can't honestly accept that an experienced mainline driver would think they could just nip off in their spare time and obtain and keep various qualifications to do other random unrelated jobs, they ought to have a pretty rounded understanding of how maintaining competence works!

I've eventually got it out of him....and your pretty accurate! seems he had an ' experience' on a heritage line a few years ago and swears he won't go back to them!