Putting the 'train' back in 'training': Sustaining the UK's rail workforce

摘要

However, between the relatively dated infrastructure and systems in place and this rising demand, there is a clear disconnect and a clear need to take British rail into the future. Thankfully, vast infrastructure projects, such as HS2 and the Elizabeth Line are underway to help meet that target, but beyond that, the industry must embrace technology and digitalise or risk being left behind, especially with those aforementioned projects constantly running over budget. This is especially true when considering that YouGov research has shown that only a third of Brits believe themselves to be sufficiently qualified for their roles. For the rail industry specifically, new research by the City & Guilds and the National Skills Academy for Rail (NSAR) have found that the industry faces a critical skills shortage by 2025, ten years short of the mid-2030s target. A skills shortage aside, the upskilling of the industry is also crucial for the sake of safety. The number of workforce fatalities sure a well trained workforce can be easily maintained and managed, enabling the mid-2030s target to be more sustainably met. One noteworthy example of a modern, workforce centric solution is Sopra Steria's 'Competency Training Marketplace TM', or CTM, which is an industry first in how it combines a training marketplace with a competency management tool, free of charge for employers to use.