How far do you go in a taxi? This group went on an incredible one, out of hundreds of taxi drivers who enrolled on an NVQ programme; this group took their development a stage further. On Friday 21st May 2010 the learners pictured were part of the group who received their PTTLS certificates after successfully completing the course with Wirral Metropolitan College’s Merseyside Trade Union Education Unit.
Unite the union embarked on a project in 2007 to up-skill taxi drivers. The project was originally delivered by a small number of Taxi drivers who were responsible for tutoring the NVQ course to other drivers. As the project grew through the success and hard work of the team additional tutors were needed to help carry on the work.
Consequently this led to the identification of people who could be trained as NVQ assessors and tutors. The result was fifteen drivers have now achieved A1 Assessor Awards and PTTLS (Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector) qualifications.
The PTLLS course was the first organised by the Trade Union Education Unit and the standard of the learners work was highly praised by the external verifier for EDI. Dave Hawkins, the course tutor commented “the commitment shown by this group has been tremendous; none of these drivers would have expected to have come so far in such a short space of time. I am sure that they will put their new qualification to good use”.
Rhian Pennington, the taxi project manager for the college said “this project has really started to open doors for the taxi drivers involved in the project, they should all be proud of their achievement”.
Where will the taxi learning journey stop next? Watch this space!
