“The NRI provides the standard that needs to be met in our industry. By working with them, we can secure business because we can prove that we adhere to the high standards required.”
Hayley Norgrove, Operations Manager, Dulson Training Ltd.
BACKGROUND
Dulson Training Ltd has been in business for ten years. Across five sites in Rodenhurst, Shrewsbury, Telford, Wrexham, and Ludlow, it offers licence acquisition training for all categories of all LGV/HGV. It also offers Driver CPC training and other workplace training, covering first aid, manual handling, and courses for operators of lift trucks and other materials handling equipment. The 30-strong team is supported to deliver courses by a number of self-employed Instructors and needs to ensure high and consistent standards throughout.
Following the closure of the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) voluntary LGV Instructor register at the end of 2016, the NRI opened in January 2017. Dulson Training were keen to prove their standards by being part of the new register and started working with the National Register of LGV Instructors (NRI). As it is the only DVSA endorsed LGV/HGV Instructor Register, the NRI was the only option for Dulson Training.
PROVING HIGH INSTRUCTOR STANDARDS
“Our customers are keen to work with companies that can prove their reputation and can demonstrate the right standards,” says Hayley Norgrove, Operations Manager, who has been with Dulson Training since 2018. “We wanted to get involved to ensure we could prove our Instructors and our LGV/HGV training had the right credentials and accreditations and to help benchmark the level of training that we adhere to across the team.”
Dulson Training has found that some customers are specifically looking for training to be delivered by NRI Registered Instructors. That coupled with the complete training solution the company offers, has helped to continue to secure business.
BECOMING AN NRI EXAM CENTRE
Dulson Training prides itself on being forward-looking in its business. They anticipated that increasing numbers of LGV/HGV Instructors would want and need to be registered with the NRI to secure roles as professional Instructors. To help meet this demand, Dulson Training became an NRI Exam Centre, enabling it to offer on-site examinations to customers of their LGV Instructor and assessor courses. Those successfully passing the examination, which is conducted by NRI examiners, are then eligible to join the NRI.
“The process of becoming an NRI Exam Centre was extremely straightforward for us. We had everything in place ready for the audit, and were quickly approved,” says Hayley. “We’ve also found NRI really easy to work with and to get in touch with whenever we need to.”
Being an NRI Exam Centre enables Dulson Training to meet the needs of their varied customer base, and the skills shortage challenges facing the industry. They have seen an influx of bookings for Instructor examinations over the past quarter. More LGV Instructors are needed to deliver LGV/HGV driver training for new candidates who are joining the industry to fill vacant positions and meet demand.
JOINING THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF LGV INSTRUCTORS
Dulson Training currently has four LGV Instructors that are NRI registered to deliver training to customers. One of which is Hayley herself. Hayley trained as an LGV Instructor and successfully passed the NRI exams in November 2022.
“As an Instructor, I think it’s important to be on the NRI Register to ensure the right level of skills and knowledge. If Instructors don’t meet the right standards, we can’t pass that on to the drivers that we train,” she says. “I’m the only female Instructor in the organisation, but I find it really enjoyable.”
Dulson Training has integrated the NRI examination as part of its process of upskilling those of its LGV Instructors who are not yet on the Register.
PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE OF AFVS
NRI LGV Instructors are approved to deliver training on Alternatively Fuelled Vehicles (AFV). Only members of the DVSA-endorsed NRI, or members of the NVDIR, are permitted to deliver this training, which must follow the syllabus published by the Department for Transport (DfT) and Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV).
Having AFV certified LGV Instructors in place has helped Dulson Training to secure work delivering this type of training as customer enquiries are increasing. The NRI provides all the necessary training materials and issues certification to trained drivers.
“Having a pre-made online course and training materials ready for us to deliver has been a real help, and our Instructors have found the materials are incredibly easy to use,” Hayley says.
A COMPLETE SOLUTION FOR CUSTOMERS
The NRI also operates the recently introduced Trailer Training Accreditation Scheme (TTAS), for organisations and Instructors conducting Category B+E licence training and/or assessment.
After the DVSA stopped the B+E trailer driving test requirement in 2021, Dulson Training felt there may be a potential skills gap for drivers towing trailers. As a result, it became an NRI TTAS Accredited Training Centre, offering a course for its customers, many of which are in the utilities sector.
“B+E training helps our customers to adhere to their health and safety policies. As a B+E Accredited Training Centre with NRI, we can demonstrate our commitment to high-quality, professional trailer training,” says Hayley.
ABOUT THE NRI
The NRI exists to improve and monitor Instructor and Assessor standards to ensure professionalism and a high standard of training in the road transport industry. It is endorsed by the DVSA and supported by Logistics UK and the Road Haulage Association (RHA).
Hundreds of Instructors and Assessors from across the UK are currently on the Register. The not-for-profit register has four categories of Registration. In all categories, registration is valid for five years and can only be maintained by taking and passing the NRI examination. This ensures that all individuals on the NRI registers maintain a high standard of performance and a currency of knowledge and training techniques.