New Achilles approved training centre
23 Mar 2006
Avondale Environmental Services has invested in a new, fully-equipped and Achilles-approved in-house training centre so that new recruits can be qualified in a range of safety and operational skills quickly, and effectively.
The training centre, which is operated from Avondale’s Suffolk site and the Chatham head offices, is run by Avondale’s training manager, Ray Brandon, an Achilles qualified trainer and assessor with over 37 years of experience in the rail industry. “Avondale is growing and there is a continuing demand for new staff, but before they set foot on a railway track they must be PTS qualified. Safety is an absolute priority,” Ray says.
The training centre allows Avondale to improve the training of its own staff so that the company no longer needs to book places on other approved courses, and makes maximum use of the time available before recruits ‘go live’ on the working sites. The facilities and courses are also available for staff from other rail operations. Track safety training courses undertaken at the training centres are PTS, look-out, IWA and COSS, as well as re-certification.
The Avondale training centre not only trains candidates to the exacting, high standards required in the rail industry, but will also offer training in the practical tasks of vegetation control, with particular reference to arboriculture and the use of road rail vehicles, chainsaws, wood chippers, brush cutters, flail equipment and herbicide handling and use - all to relevant industry standards.
Both the Haughey, Suffolk and Fort Horsted, Chatham, classrooms are fully equipped to handle up to twelve candidates and the additional facilities of new practical workshops, currently being built for practical courses, will be ready for operational use by mid 2006.
“Safety is always the top priority, and if we can improve training to instill this into new recruits as well as offering industry qualifications, we will have a growing, competent, multi-skilled workforce that can handle all aspects of the work required. We accept and welcome liability for all our on-track work, and a high standard of training is as much in our interests as those of our customers,” says Andrew Back, managing director of Avondale Environmental Services.