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Apprentices Must Remain a Priority for Employers, says new CEO of TTS Under normal circumstances, Transport Training Services (TTS) provides training for around 200 employed apprentices. Training is a combination of tutor training at TTS’s purpose-built, modern facility at Nutts Corner Business Park and ‘on-the-job’ training in the workplace. With the COVID-19 outbreak and subsequent ‘lockdown’, the TTS training facility was closed, and many apprentices were furloughed by their employers. Although TTS has moved to online training platforms during lockdown, the main challenge faced by apprentices in progressing their learning has been on the employer side of things. Around 80-85% of TTS apprentices were put on furlough, with the exception of some of the heavy vehicle employers that worked through lockdown to service/ repair vehicles delivering food for example, so most have been unable to submit workbased evidence as part of their assessments. TTS’s goal throughout has been to keep existing apprentices engaged and on track to graduate when they are due to, something that has so far been successful. With the exception of one apprentice, who decided on a change of career path, all TTS apprentices remain engaged in their development programme, evidenced by their e-portfolio scores. Although some apprentices are starting back to work, others are, unfortunately still under threat with some having been informed by employers that they are on 90 days’ notice at risk of redundancy. TTS is appealing to employers to see the value in keeping apprentices employed, even in difficult economic times. Given the inexpensiveness of apprentices relative to their productivity, they offer employers good value when money is tight. In fact, Institute for the Motor Industry (IMI) carried out an extensive two-year study, co-funded by the UK Commission for Employment and Skills, which showed apprentices typically generate a return on investment of between 150% and 300% and typically generate profit within 18-24 months. ‘Growing your own’ technicians through apprenticeships also reduces longterm recruitment and training costs.
Martin Hutchinson, stepped down due to retirement. (See separate in-depth interview with Peter elsewhere in this issue of Export & Freight) Looking forward to new recruitment, TTS is not slowing down. The organisation is committed to getting more motivated young people into apprenticeship roles to support employers in the transport industry to secure the future workforce of the sector.
TTS trainer, Michael Hutchinson, with former TTS apprentice, Andrew Milliken who now works at Woodside Logistics Group.
Peter O’Reilly, the new CEO of TTS, is urging employers to take a long-term view when considering staffing requirements over the coming weeks. He firmly believes that young people are key to securing the future workforce. “We know the potentially devastating effect that not investing in apprentice training can have. There is a knock-on effect later down the line, something the sectors that we work with are experiencing now. During the last recession, many employers chose not to invest in apprentices and that’s partly how today’s skills gaps have come about. It is our hope that employers will bear this in mind when considering their existing and future apprentice needs”. Prior to lockdown, Peter had just accepted the role of CEO when the previous post-holder,
Being an independent training provider, TTS is not restricted to a September start for apprentices and can have late starters, unlike the government owned further education institutions, so apprentice numbers could increase later in the year, should the economy recover more quickly than expected. While the pipeline of potential new apprentices looks promising, only time will tell how many will get placed with an employer.
Franchise Brands With around one-third of all automotive and transport apprentices being trained by Transport Training Services, it is the largest provider in Northern Ireland, training apprentices for franchise brands such as BMW, Mercedes, Ford, VW, Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Renault, Kia, Hyundai and Seat under the ApprenticeshipsNI scheme, as well as locally for Charles Hurst Group, The Agnew Group, Donnelly Group and TrustFord, and for heavy vehicles, TTS partner employers include Road Trucks (Scania), TBF Thompson (DAF), NI Trucks (Iveco) and Diamond Trucks (Renault). As well as the large truck and car dealers, TTS also helps recruit and train motivated, job-ready young people who are keen to begin their journey in the industry for smaller independent employers and family businesses throughout Northern Ireland.
NOx emissions from trucks slashed by 59 percent since 2013 Haulage operators have slashed NOx emissions from trucks by at least 59 percent in only six years, according to government statistics. Department for Transport figures show a continual year-onyear decline since 2013 as the RHA predicts the industry will have reduced its NOx output by at least 80 percent by 2025. The RHA said that the industry’s £1.9bn investment in Euro VI vehicles is driving the huge reduction as it publishes its
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annual NOx Emission Assessment from heavy goods vehicles today (Wednesday 12 August). Welcoming the report, Chris Ashley, the RHA’s head of policy on the environment, said the latest assessment shows what can be achieved when well-designed standards, in this instance Euro VI, are phased in sustainably.
“As the Government’s ‘green recovery’ agenda gathers pace we believe this positive experience can be applied to the decarbonisation agenda, but a repeat of DEFRA’s flawed Clean Air Zone policy must be avoided. “Hauliers are willing to invest in the technology needed for a clean environment, but they must have
confidence that the regulatory framework will not retrospectively undermine that investment.” Imposing high charges on technology deemed ‘obsolete’ without first checking there is a sufficient supply of the desired technology is a recipe for disaster. It leads to stranded assets, market distortion and waste. With this week’s dreadful news that the economy is officially in recession the Government must take a more sustainable approach to goods moving around the country – one which recognises that environmental and social wellbeing depends on economic wellbeing, he added.
