Passenger Carrying Vehicle Driving (Bus and Coach)

Learning Programme Content

The Learning Programme provision shall comprise of three mandatory elements:

• Qualifications,
• Essential Skills
• On/off the job training

The total minimum credit value required for the Level 2 Passenger Carrying Vehicle Driving (Bus and Coach) is 59 credits.

Entry requirements

Level 2:  Passenger Carrying Vehicle Driving (Bus and Coach)

There are no formal entry requirements however:-

Employers are looking to attract applicants who have a keen interest in working in the bus or coach industries, the willingness to work shifts and understand the importance of customer service.

 Apprentices will need basic literacy and numeracy skills on which this Apprenticeship will build. The idea is not to cut off any options so that applicants rule themselves out at the start. Applicants will be a mix of age and experience. As a guide, applicants may come from a range of routes including:

• Work or work experience
• Training and/or experience which could include a portfolio showing what they have done
• Achieved foundation learning at level 1
• Achieved any of the Essential Skills Wales successfully completed a Young Apprenticeship
• Any of the (14-19) Diplomas or Welsh Baccalaureate
• Vocational or academic qualification(s) such as one or more GCSEs

 There is no need to have a driving licence upon entry to the Apprenticeship though it would be expected that it would be obtained during the Apprenticeship. However, to be granted a provisional Passenger Carrying Vehicle (PCV) driving licence an individual will have to meet the medical standards required of a PCV driver as set down by DVLA.

Drivers cannot train for the PCV licence and Driver CPC until they are 18 or older. At the age of 18, PCV drivers cannot drive all routes and must usually wait till the age of 21 to be allowed to drive on major bus or coach routes.

Apprenticeship pathway learning programme(s)

Level 2: Passenger Carrying Vehicle Driving (Bus and Coach)

Level 2: Passenger Carrying Vehicle Driving (Bus and Coach) Qualifications

Participants must achieve one of the following competence and knowledge qualifications below.

Essential Skills Wales (ESW)

On/Off the Job training

On/Off the Job Qualification details (Minimum Credit & Hours)

47 credits for competence and knowledge - Level 2 NVQ Diploma in Passenger Carrying Vehicle Driving (Bus and Coach) & Level 2 Award in Knowledge for a Professional Bus or Coach Driver

The total amount of learning hours which includes both on and off-the-job training for the Passenger Carrying Vehicle Driving (Bus and Coach) is 423.

On/Off the Job Essential Skills details (Minimum Credit & Hours)

6 credits/45 GLH for Level 1 Essential Skills Wales Communication

6 credits/45 GLH for Level 1 Essential Skills Wales Application of Number

Other additional requirements

Drivers cannot train for the PCV licence and Driver CPC until they are 18 or older. At the age of 18, PCV drivers cannot drive all routes and must usually wait until the age of 21 to be allowed to drive on major bus or coach routes.

Progression

Progression from the Level 2 Apprenticeship:

On completion of the level 2 Foundation Apprenticeship in PCV Driving (Bus and Coach) successful apprentices will be qualified to work as bus or coach drivers.

The apprenticeship forms the basis of a progression ladder for those wanting to develop their careers in the industry. Further progression in the industry from the role of bus or coach driver

could be to:

• Team leader
• Scheduler
• Supervisor
• Driving instructor.

Successful apprentices might progress on to the Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Passenger Carrying Vehicle Driving Instruction or to team leading or management qualifications. There is currently no level 3 Apprenticeship in this area however, the industry is considering whether there is demand for such a Pathway.

Further progression beyond level 3 could be to management roles within the bus and coach industries or management qualifications at level 4 and above.

Equality and diversity

It is important that apprenticeship Pathways are inclusive and can demonstrate an active approach to identifying and removing barriers to entry and progression. Pathways should advance equality of opportunity between persons who share protected characteristics and those persons who do not as identified in the Equality Act 2010.

The Protected characteristics identified in the Equality Act are age, disability, gender re-assignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity. Marriage and civil partnership is also included although only in respect of the requirement to eliminate discrimination in employment.

Training providers and employers MUST also comply with the other duty under the Equality Act 2010 to ensure that applicants are not discriminated against in terms of entry to the industry based upon those nine protected characteristics.

The GoSkills Employers Survey 2009 showed that the Bus and Coach industries are made up of approximately 70% male and 30% female. A key barrier to entry into the industry for women is the perception that the role of the bus or coach driver is only suitable for men. In reality there is no reason why women cannot work as drivers and the introduction of more part-time/flexible working should help make the industry more attractive to women.

Other solutions to this issue have arisen from the Diversity Solutions Project, supported by GoSkills, where employers have developed effective ways of promoting recruitment and retention of women workers in passenger transport. These included:

 Advertising in the womens’ supplement of the local paper and including a testimonial from a recent female recruit in the advertisement

• Advertising on radio targeting retail workers with customer care skills,
• using a female voice
• Attending jobs fairs with female members of staff
• Improving the website to include more current staff testimonials for underrepresented groups Creating a ‘Try out Day’ for potential recruits Holding an annual open day

 Apprenticeships are seen as a vital route to encourage, and facilitate, a greater diversity of individuals into the industry, therefore entry conditions to this Pathway are flexible.

Employment responsibilities and rights

Employment Responsibilities and Rights (ERR) is no longer compulsory in Pathways, however ERR is deemed Mandatory in this Pathway.

There are nine national outcomes/standards for ERR as set out in the SASW. The SASW specifies that the course of training in ERR must be designed so that the apprentice:

 Knows and understands the range of employer and employee statutory rights and responsibilities under Employment Law and that employment rights can be affected by other legislation as well. This should cover the apprentice’s rights and responsibilities under the Disability Discrimination Act, other relevant equalities legislation and Health & Safety, together with the responsibilities and duties of employers;

• Knows and understands the procedures and documentation in their organisation which recognise and protect their relationship with their employer.
• Health & Safety and Equality & Diversity training must be an integral part of the apprentice’s learning programme;
• Knows and understands the range of sources of information and advice available to them on their employment rights and responsibilities.
• Details of Access to Work and Additional Learning Support must be included in the programme;
• Understands the role played by their occupation within their organisation and industry; has an informed view of the types of career pathways that are open to them;
• Knows the types of representative bodies and understands their relevance to their industry and organisation, and their main roles and responsibilities knows where and how to get information and advice on their industry, occupation, training and career;
• Can describe and work within their organisation’s principles and codes of practice;
• Recognises and can form a view on issues of public concern that affect their organisation and industry.

 ERR is covered by completion of the Employee Rights and Responsibilities unit contained as an additional unit within the knowledge qualification: Level 2 Award for a Professional Bus or Coach Driver.

Evidence of achievement of ERR will be evidenced at certification by the achievement of the knowledge qualification, along with a completed and signed copy of the Universal Employee Rights and Responsibilities Form (ERR).

Responsibilities

It is the responsibility of the Training Provider / Employer to ensure that the requirements of this Pathway are delivered in accordance with the Welsh Government  Apprenticeships Guidance.

 Further information may be obtained from: Welsh Government

DfES-ApprenticeshipUnit@gov.wales

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