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A recent study undertook by Skills4Auto showed the demand for the training and assessment of Business Improvement Techniques (B-IT) qualification within the automotive industry could potentially be 2,200 NVQs by the end of 2006 whereas the region had the capability to potentially deliver 622 NVQs per year. Consequently an upskilling programme for trainers and assessors was designed to address this shortage of over 1500 NVQs.
A former Land Rover employee, Dave Gay, is now helping to bring the Midlands training providers’ capacity to train automotive companies up to the level of the industry demand through the Trainer-Assessor programme designed by Skills4Auto.
Dave, who spent 33 years at Land Rover working in Production and Industrial Engineering positions, took early retirement in December 2003 to become a lecturer in Lean Manufacturing within the Engineering Department at the Warwickshire College. The career move followed from Dave’s last role at Land Rover where he had been introducing lean tools and techniques within the Ford Production Systems for the past ten years.
Due to Land Rover’s past experience with Warwickshire College Dave was called back to assess candidates on the B-IT pilot programme that Land Rover was part of and he also negotiated the first industrial placements for the candidates on Skills4Auto’s Trainer-Assessor programme with Land Rover’s Training Manager, John Barr.
John Barr commented on the programme: “We were part of the B-IT pilot when the NVQ was being developed and as EAL’s requirement for trainers and assessors on the programme is to be experienced in the application of B-IT tools and techniques, we wanted to offer them an opportunity to apply their skills and knowledge.”
“All the trainers that have gone through the programme have said they have got a different view of things after working on the shop floor. They gained a different perspective on how difficult it may be to apply the tools and to sustain the improvements. This will give them a real benefit when assessing candidates on the B-IT course themselves,” John added.
Dave who has also been assessing B-IT in other automotive companies including LDV, Autocraft and Ricor said an NVQ is not about knowing, it is about doing. Trainers are coaching people and they have to be able to demonstrate the tools. Therefore they will have real perspective in a problem solving situation having applied the tools themselves.
“Working alongside people makes trainers appreciate how difficult it is to achieve the qualification and gives them a first class opportunity to experience the full complexity of achieving an NVQ. It makes a real difference to a lecturer to get hands on experience rather than just stand in front of people lecturing. All of the four trainers and assessors that have gone through the programme so far have displayed a sense of achievement and they have been able to make a difference to Land Rover’ business.” Dave said.
Helen Gardiner, Programme Manager for the Trainer-Assessor upskilling programme at Skills4Auto said: “Dave has assisted us a great deal in getting the programme up and running. We are also grateful for John’s help with the Land Rover placements as without a major vehicle manufacturer’s support the programme would not have been as successful. We are hoping to work with Land Rover in the future on making sure that the capacity of the B-IT trainers and assessor will meet the industry demand.”
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