Great Western Railway use eLearning to support train driver self-development
Bridging the gap between training and ongoing competence: how Great Western Railway use eLearning to support train driver self-development.
Great Western Railway (GWR) is one of the largest train operating companies in the UK and is part of FirstGroup plc. With over 1000 drivers to train geographically dispersed throughout England and South Wales, all with varying IT skills and limited time to engage with learning on the job, GWR are presented with a challenge in supporting and managing train drivers’ learning and development.
Culturally, there are a number of barriers as well. Like so many industries, training on the railway is usually delivered through a top-down approach and is viewed as something that is “done to you”.
Great Western Railway using AssessBook to support driver self-development.
Training and assessment can elicit fear as candidates worry the outcome will be that they are not ‘perfect’ and as a result could lose their job. This perception creates a barrier to self-development, as it requires everyone to acknowledge their human fallibility.
At GWR, there is a drive to break down these barriers such that the result is a shift in culture to a place where individuals are supported to own their competence.
Fallibility doesn’t need to be feared by default as part of a fair culture, where it is acknowledged that skills and knowledge wax and wane over time.
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