The spring meeting of the UIC Expertise Development Platform (EDP), which took place at York Training Academy on 21 and 22 April 2016, brought together training executives/representatives from 20 different rail training centres/institutions.
As for the previous meetings, one part of the meeting was dedicated to an update on the latest developments of the Expertise Development unit/platform, including progress of work for the activities at the focus of the Expertise Development Platform for the next three years.
The co-ordinators reported on their respective projects as follows:
1) Trainer development group (co-ordinator from Railinfra Opleidingen). The group which was set up after the first WCRT in 2011 is continuing its activities with financial support from EC funds (Erasmus plus). The purpose of this project is to cooperate for the group “signalling engineering" trainers on new approaches in technology (technical and in learning), exchange of expertise and sharing ‘good practices’, as well as the delivery of tangible products (such as a European behavioural competence framework for trainers in the Railinfra structure…)
2) “ERTMS/ETCS” (co-ordinator from DB training). Interest in this topic was raised at WCRT 2015 in Lisbon and was confirmed by participants of EDP meeting in Oslo, September 2015. Purpose of the project is to develop an ERMTS/ETCS basic training (targeted at young professionals, students, apprentices...) for all functional areas of the European railways, which should ensure standardisation of knowledge.
3) “The use of simulation in developing train drivers” (co-ordinator from NS). Interest in this topic was initiated by APRA (Asia Pacific Regional Assembly) and first workshop in Moscow in February 2015 as well as WCRT 2015 in Lisbon. Interest was confirmed by participants of the EDP meeting in Oslo and a project group was set up. The purpose of the project is to identify how the industry uses simulation to achieve the required learning and competence outcomes for the safety critical train driver role, as well as to provide information and guidance for companies/countries who are either starting new in train driver simulation or are in the process of upgrading existing technology
4) The fourth World Congress on Rail Training will be organised from 5 – 7 April 2017 at the DB Akademie, Berlin/Potsdam currently in partnership with DB Training, Learning and Consulting and SNCF.
The procedure for becoming a partner/sponsor will soon be published.
The call for abstracts is currently underway with a deadline for submission postponed until 10 June 2016
http://events.uic.org/4th-uic-world-congress-on-rail-training
5) TALENT project. An update of the project was given as follows:
– Second networking and collaborative meeting is scheduled on 1 and 2 June 2016 in Milan, in cooperation with WCRR 2016.
Deadline for registration is 20 May, 2016.
Further information about the event can be found at:
http://www.wcrr2016.org/railway-talents/
– Rail Talent Ambassadors Programme. The Programme which has been recently launched has raised a wide interest amongst different stakeholders from different regions. The event in Milan will also be the occasion to “induct” the Ambassadors , as well as discuss the possible areas of cooperation.
– Further developments of the online TALENT platform are under consideration, such as e-careers and development of e-learning courses.
Another important purpose of the EDP meetings for the attendees is to share rail training features and developments across the industry, as well as to get up-to-date information with current international developments regarding the rail sector.
The ERA (European Railway Agency) representative gave an update of ERA advice on Changes to the Train Drivers Directive.
Part of the meeting was dedicated to presentations of Network Rail’s professional training and development activity, a tour of the training academy as well as of the Route Operations Control Centre.
A series of workshops were also organised on topical issues, which were an excellent opportunity for the attendees to exchange experiences, ideas and good practices on “Apprenticeships”, “Digital Railway” and “training materials development”.
The next meeting of the Expertise Development Platform is scheduled to be held on 20 and 21 October 2016, at ONCF, Rabat (meeting organised in cooperation with ONCF and SNCF).
