Latest news

26/1/2012

We are very pleased that we have been awarded Registered Provider status for the new National Skills Academy Logistics. The Academy is operated by the Sector Skills Council for the logistics industry - Skills for Logistics - and has the backing of the Government though its licencing. The aim of the academy is to provide a full range of skills to individuals and organistaions in the logistics industry. Norfolk Training Services Ltd is pleased to be playing its part in this endevour as the Logistics industry employs many people in the East of England and raising skill levels can only improve the service offered by the industry and thereby increase its impact on the eceonomy of the region. Look out for the logo:

6/1/2012

Congratulations to our Logistics Instructor, Mark Waterfield, who passed his DSA Instructor Registration qualification.

10/1/2012

Transport Managers and operators who are intending to take exams for the Certificate of Professional Competence in Logistics Operations will be interested in the following update from OCR:

Exam body updates rules on transport training

One of the leading UK qualification-awarding bodies has announced details of changes to the Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) for transport managers, which it offers on  behalf of the Department for Transport (DfT). Oxford Cambridge and RSA (OCR)  Examinations explains that new CPC qualifications will be available from March 2012 when CPCs in both Road Haulage and Passenger Transport will consist of a single multiple choice assessment and a single case study assessment. In a change from previous practice, the latter will no longer be issued in advance. “Instead,” OCR said, “a shorter, more relevant scenario will be issued with the papers at the start of the two-hour assessment. This shorter case study will contain no distractions and will only contain information which will enable the candidate to demonstrate application of the knowledge they have acquired.” An additional change to the case study is that it will now only assess the core areas and it has been simplified so that there will be no sections A and B; candidates will need to achieve 50% over the whole paper to  pass.

There will be between 5 and 8 questions, with each worth between 7 and 12 marks and 60 marks being available in total. The two-hour multiple choice assessment will be available as a quarterly, paper-based test from March 2012. From June, it will also be available on screen and on demand, allowing candidates to sit or re-sit an assessment at a convenient time. They will also receive their results more quickly. More details are available on the OCR website: www.ocr.org.uk/download/kd/ocr_60297_kd_vrq_factsheet.pdf.

10/1/2012

Drivers and Transport Operators who are keeping a watching brief on Driver CPC will find the following update from Croners of interest:

Drivers struggle to meet EU training deadline

It is established that the most pressing problem faced by transport operators (TOs) is the cost of fuel, but moving rapidly up their list of worries is the increasingly pressing need to comply with EU requirements on driver training. By September 2014, all lorry drivers in Europe must have completed 35 hours of training in compliance with requirements under the Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC).

Latest figures from the Driving Standards Agency show, however, that the number of qualified heavy goods vehicle (HGV) drivers could be well short of the 35-hour mark approaching the 2014 deadline. Although there has been a demonstrable improvement in the uptake of Driver CPC, particularly during 2011, there is, the Freight Transport Association (FTA) has warned, “a reducing window of opportunity” and much greater efforts are needed. Assuming that drivers should spread their training evenly by undertaking 7 hours a year for 5 years, the FTA has determined that the current shortfall stands at 46%. It highlights an annual driver employment churn in some sectors of up to 20% as one of the main reasons why the industry has been reluctant to invest in compulsory training. Isobel Harding, FTA’s National Training Manager, said: “Tough trading conditions, high fuel costs and traditionally slim profit margins mean that budgets are stretched across the industry; it is therefore understandable that uptake has been sluggish.”

Awareness of these training obligations is high, she continued, but, given that there is a good chance that by the time the deadline comes around their drivers might be working elsewhere, TOs are understandably reluctant to be the ones making the training investment. This means that the industry will soon be facing a drastic shortfall in the number of legally qualified HGV drivers.

Comment: At Norfolk Training Services Ltd., we have always maintained that arranging Driver CPC Periodic Training early in the 5-year cycle will pay dividends when the shortage of training places really begins to bite. Whilst it is understandable that companies, in particular, are reluctant to spend money for which they will gain no return, the risk is far outweighed by the danger that, on 11th September 2014, their wagons will be parked up in the yard because drivers will be breaking the law by driving professionally without a DQC. Equally, drivers who are responsible for their own Periodic Training risk not being able to earn without their DQC. Driver CPC is not going away!

17/11/2011

Watch out for our new online booking system, coming soon. From February 2012, drivers will be able to book courses online and pay for them using a credit or debit card.

27/10/11

With only a few weeks to go until changes take place in the Operator CPC, it seems timely to remind operators and transport managers of the options open to them. The following is an abstract from the examining board's (OCR) information.

Update on the future of the Certificate of Professional Competence

OCR is committed to offering the CPC after the expiry of current legislation on
4^th December this year. The shape of this future provision is still being finalised and we hope to be able to be able to tell you more about these plans later on in the summer.

Update on three important items about the future of the CPC, as set down by the new legislation and also by the Department for Transport:

1. As per the new legislation, the International and National CPC will merge.  This means that after the December 2011 session, all candidates who take the CPC will be examined in relation to both International and National content (EC 1071/2009, Introduction, item 11).
    
2. The DfT have confirmed that OCR is allowed to offer the current, discrete International examinations (current units 6 and 7) alongside the new provision. OCR plans to offer these examinations for a minimum of a year, to allow candidates who have achieved the National CPC to ‘top up’ to the International CPC without restarting the new qualification.
    
3. The DfT have stipulated that candidates who have only partially achieved a National CPC by December 2011 (for example, have achieved units 1 and 2, but not 4, or 1 and 5, but not 3) will not be able to carry forward those achievements to the new qualifications. Candidates with only partial achievement will need to complete the new qualification in full.

Changes to grandfather rights.
In addition, the rules for claiming grandfather rights are changing. In due course, VOSA will be in touch with all grandfather rights holders currently named on O-licences to set out the new arrangements.

12/9/2011

The Board of Directors of Norfolk Training Services Ltd is very pleased to receive the Ofsted report following their inspection in August 2011. The company has been classified at Grade 2 for the Overall Effectiveness of Provision.

In summary, the Ofsted inspectors said that, ‘NTS is a good training provider. Outcomes for learners are good. Learners achieve their qualifications satisfactorily and make good improvements in their confidence and personal development. Learners enjoy their courses and gain good vocational skills that greatly improve their future career prospects. The quality of the training provision is good. Training, assessment and coaching from NTS staff and employers are good. Learners feel safe and staff promote equality and diversity’.

The provision was inspected across the full range of NTS’ activities including Apprenticeships for 16-18 year old learners (the company’s most successful programme), Apprenticeships for learners over 19 years old and Foundation Learning, which despite being in its first year of operation has proved very successful for learners taking part.

The full inspection can be accessed by following this link:

http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/files/1820307/urn/53550.pdf

30th August 2011

Today, we have been very pleased to welcome the Rt. Hon. Chris Grayling MP, the Minister for Work and Pensions to Norfolk Training Services Ltd. Mr Grayling came to speak to clients on the Work Programme. He observed a Customer Advisor developing a focused action plan, one of the initial stages in supporting unemployed customers back to work.

Annette Belson, Operations Director, said that she was delighted to welcome the minister to our centre and that " as Norfolk's leading private sector training company we are pleased to work in partnership with Seetec to deliver the Government's new Work Programme". She continued, " although it is early days, local firms are already seeing the benefits of job-ready candidates who can gain valuable work experience prior to consideration for permanent work. This is particularily true of the retail and warehousing sector, traditional strength areas in Norwich and Norfolk. The aim of our staff is to widen the appeal of the Work Programme to all areas of employment and improve on our pleasing initial success rates"

1st March 2011

This is the first picture of our new box trailer. Watch out for it around the city and the county.

Using this trailer and car or customers's van, we can provide training for a Category B+E licence. If you passed your driving test after December 1996, you will have received a Category B licence. Prior to then, a basic driving licence included Category B+E and C1 in addition to B. Having a Category B+E licence can help when it comes to employment as well as being of use for hobbies and DIY. If you would like to know more about B+E training, contact us on (01603) 259900 Ext 211 or go online at www.norfolktrainingservices.co.uk today










1st March 2011

‘We have always received an excellent level of service from Norfolk Training Services. The courses offered give people of all ages a new-found confidence and assist those who are new to the industry with the skills and the knowledge they require to further their career.’

Susan McAvoy – Training Coordinator, Jarrold

Williams Refrigeration         
Diss Promotions
House of Fraser      
E.E Green & Son      
Hollywood Cinemas
Williams Lea