The meeting of the Expertise Development Platform, which draws its expertise from the regional rail training centre networks, took place in Wales on 21 and 22 October 2010 at Arriva Trains Wales and Network Rail training facilities. It brought together participants from 15 training providers in 11 countries.
The key objective of the platform, which brings together major training providers from both commercial and non-commercial training centres, is to enable active professional dialogue to take place between rail training professionals to support interoperability and cross regional exchanges and synergies at worldwide level.
The ultimate goal is to enhance workforce development through the sharing of best practice in rail training across the industry.
On the 21st there was a series of presentations and visits at the ATW Training Centre, focusing on operations and driver training, including a visit to the new ATW Simulator Centre at Cardiff Station. The second day was hosted by Network Rail at their new infrastructure training centre at Bristol Parkway. It is an impressive facility with an under cover track layout and signalling equipment and a specialised welding area. The group was given a presentation by the centre’s manager about Network Rail’s approach to training, its delivery and technical content based around the systems approach to training.
There was a good opportunity to interact with the trainers and share information and best practice.
The meeting also served as an opportunity for lively exchanges on the World Congress on Rail Training “From strategy to performance”, which will take place in Madrid, Universidad Politécnica De Madrid, Escuela Técnica Superior De Ingenieros Industriales, José Gutiérrez Abascal, 2 - 28006 Madrid, from 6 to 8 April, 2011.
The key objectives of the World Congress are to:
- Promote excellence in railway training through best practice models
- Highlight research findings in this area which bring innovation and have practical application to the industry
- Identify new challenges for training and training technologies
- Provide a unique opportunity to share knowledge and experience among training professionals and managers
The main themes of the Congress plenary sessions and workshops are:
- Future developments in training
- Simulator technologies
- Training as investment
- Skills fade and competence retention
- Generational learning
- E-learning
- Knowledge management
- Trainer development and
- Skill development for cross border services
For further information related to the Congress (submission of papers, sponsoring and delegate fee, etc.), please consult: www.railtraining.org
The next meeting of the Expertise Development Platform, which meets twice a year in different training facilities, will be held on 16 and 17June 2011 in Budapest, at MAV Baross Gabor training centre. The meeting is open to all UIC members.
