Contribution of Professional Development and Training of Workforce to Productivity

Contribution of Professional Development and Training of Workforce to Productivity Dr Wardina Oghanna, Director, Australian Railway Research Institute Dr Martin Murray, Senior Lecturer, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia Summary: Radical and ongoing changes to the railway industry worldwide are leading to the non-replaced loss of important accumulated knowledge and skills amongst those retiring or made redundant from downsized or broken up rail organisations. The paper describes the development and offering of two training courses that introduce participants to the breadth of business, management and engineering activities in the industry. Improved knowledge and understanding of such workplace tasks leads to more efficient business operations. Index Terms: productivity, professional development, training, railways. 1. INTRODUCTION Global concerns over the effect of the world's burgeoning fuel usage on climate change, the incessant drive towards efficient and effective transport systems, tightening budgets, and the demand for profitability have all impacted heavily on the structure and operation of rail organisations. Many long standing state based services have been broken into individually privatised companies often with very different commercially focused objectives compared to the service they replaced. Even the state based organisations that continue in existence have been subject to severe downsizing. A serious outcome of all these changes has been a consequent loss of individual and collective expertise from the industry. "Outsourcing" is frequently seen to be the way of the future, in which private consultants and firms provide most of the service, construction and maintenance needs of the rail systems. However, there is a shortage of the required knowledge and skills within the private sector in many countries, and there is a critical shortage of groups able to fill the training vacuum and provide an induction to the industry which used to be undertaken in-house. The new providers of these services are in great need of specialised training and research support. Consequently, professional development and training of the rail workforce is rapidly emerging as a crucial problem for the 21 st century in which enduring solutions must be formulated and implemented. In an increasingly competitive world, where the operations of government and private rail services are becoming ever more knowledge intensive and dependent on technology transfer, society demands a workforce that is educated and trained for the current technical conditions [l]. Initial qualifications must be seen as no more than impermanent keys to entry to the rail industry; no longer can they suffice for a professional lifetime with minimal e updating. Even if useful knowledge has a half-lif as long as ten years, intellectual capital is still depreciating at 7% per year, with a corresponding reduction in the effectiveness of the workforce [2]. Upgrading of skills through professional development and training courses will be a major contribution to offsetting depreciation of the intellectual capital of railway personnel. The return on the investment in training will be greater economic benefits to the business. 2. MARKET NEED The National Committee on Railway Engineering (NCRE) of the Institution of Engineers, Australia carried out a market research study for a professional course in March 1994 and again in November 1995. From an analysis of the respondents to the 1994 questionnaire, 92% were strongly supportive of significant, specialist railway courses for graduates [3]. Likewise, 100% of the respondents to a 1995 questionnaire distributed at the Conference on Railway Engineering in 1995, were strongly supportive of significant, 405

specialist railway courses, while 70% in favour of graduate level courses, and 30% in favour of undergraduate courses [3]. The market studies also indicated a need for such courses to be in a part-time, distance/external mode. An "Open Forum" held in Sydney on Railway Engineering Education on 14 March 1996 established a market need for postgraduate professional courses in railway engineering. Also the Australasian Railway Association's (ARA) Industry Round Table on Training Issues in the Rail Industry on 10 March 1998 in Sydney highlighted the need for, and coordination of, training requirements for the rail industry. Leading on from the above, a study by Athol Yates on behalf of NCRE in 1998 established a critical shortage of railway engineering in the next 5 years unless action is taken to address the shortage [ 4]. 3. TRAINING CONCEPT It is essential for future railway personnel to obtain an overview and knowledge of and insight into the whole rail transport system using an inter-discipline business concept. Such a concept has been developed successfully in Australia through a joint venture between the Australian Railway Research Institute and Queensland University of Technology. Two training and professional development courses have been developed and are designed to provide a "broad brush" knowledge of the industry to a wide range of rail employees via correspondence mode. The specific purposes for which these two courses have been developed for the rail industry include: Enabling staff to gain a more thorough knowledge of the total rail transport system. Promoting important interactions between the various disciplines in rail organisations. Improving rail employees' understanding of the implications of their decision making on the rest of the organisation. Helping to bring about more effective resource utilisation. Encouraging more efficient business operation. Enhancing rail employees' ability to contribute positively to management of and innovation in railway operations. These aspects of the courses make them unique. The breadth of topics covered is designed to be extensive but each topic is deliberately not studied in great depth; sufficient is covered to provide an appropriate level of knowledge of each of topics. The courses provide an exceptional overview of all the major aspects of the business of railways rather than a detailed investigation of any. There are other courses around the world which can provide that depth. The courses are also unique in that they are available via correspondence to a wide range of participants from across the globe, from managers to consultants to technical personnel, who study at their own pace in their own work place. The two courses are therefore highly industry focused and can easily replace expensive induction, orientation and rotation programs. They provide a unique learning experience different from conferences and other courses. Assignment work is set and assessed at a level such that participants who successfully complete one of the courses are able to use the course as credit towards graduate programs at university and/or for points towards continuing professional development requirements. 4. STRUCTURE OF THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING COURSES The two courses are designed to be undertaken by rail personnel in the areas of, management, engineering, operations, planning, financing, safety regulation technical, consulting, design, maintainance, rollingstock, track, electrical, signalling, customers, and so on [5]. They are very appropriate for graduate student induction into any area of rail research. The training courses together comprise nine modules in total. The first course is called "Railway Business and Engineering" and comprises five modules as follows: railway business, railway access, project management, infrastructure, rollingstock. The second course is called "Railway Management, Operation, and Safety" and comprises four modules: railway management, railway operation, railway safety management, signalling and communications systems. 4.1 Brief contents of the courses Whilst the business management and operation of railways and the principles of rail access and safety are universal, the geographical consideration does influence the approach to it. Although some of the modules in these two courses are studied in the context of Australian scene, similar or alternative contexts will be in action in other parts of the world. Therefore the knowledge and processes gained here can be easily transferred to other countries. 406

4.1.1 Course 1 - Railway business and engineering Module 1 railway business This module paints a context in which engineering and technical solutions are applied. Topics are: railway types and attributes, characteristics of railway clients and their needs, revenue sources, owner requirements, legislation affecting railways, competition policy, railway strengths and weaknesses, organisational structures, business planning and supply of labour, material and technology for operations. Module 2 railway access This module concerns the role of the infrastructure owner and management of the asset. It covers the business of owning an asset and earning revenue from its use by operators. The asset owner must sell access under mutually acceptable conditions as well as maintain and upgrade the asset for efficient use. Module 3 project management Railways are big businesses running substantial projects across many players. Consequently, this module looks at general project management principles, fundamentals of assessing and understanding tasks, developing and evaluating options, breaking large tasks down to sub-tasks, estimation of time, resources and costs, project planning charts, managing project interfaces, monitoring and controlling, reporting and post-completion audits. A case study relevant to the railway industry develops as the module progresses. Module 4 - infrastructure Railway employees need to have some understanding of the centrality of the rail roadbed in the running of a railway business; it constitutes a huge investment of capital by an infrastructure owner which must produce a return on that investment. The module looks at the task of railway infrastructure, its layout, track structure, wheel/rail interface, maintenance and renewal, and incidental infrastructure (briefly) most notably bridges. The topics promote a basic understanding of how railway infrastructure relates to railway business, enabling participants to better contribute to management of track and related fixed infrastructure. Module 5 - rollingstock This module focuses on the design, optim1smg and developing of rollingstock to suit a particular set of parameters, which may include the payload, operating conditions, maintenance requirements, and client preferences. Topics are: rollingstock types and design parameters, vehicle configuration and structural layout, suspension design and the wheel/rail interface, locomotive design, vehicle sub-systems and maintenance. 4.1.2 Course 2 - Railway management, operation and safety Module 1 railway management The purpose of this module is to raise awareness of how management principles apply to a railway business. Topics comprise: elements of management of the railway business, understanding why the business exists, business vision, and implementing the vision through strategy, policy and procedures, needs of the stakeholders who influence the manner in which people, material, finance and services are used to produce the product sold by the business. Different railways have different products. Module 2 railway operation At the heart of a railway is the provision of train services to meet customer needs. Topics in this module are: planning required to determine the service specification and to deliver the specified service, coordination role performed by the operator, delivery of service and factors involved in optimising the service. A case study threads through the complete process, climaxing in a comprehensive plan for service delivery built up during the course of the module. Module 3 - railway safety management This module addresses the broader aspects of rail safety issues, including safety awareness, dealing with incidents, with some across-the-board guidance for the interdisciplinary manager. Specific aspects of safety are also stressed in the individual modules on track, rolling stock, signalling and operations, etc. Module 4 - railway signalling and telecommunic-ations Railway signalling and telecommunications systems are important elements in ensuring safe and efficient railway operations. The selection and use of systems very much depends on the level of safety, operational flexibility and asset utilisation required by railway owners, operators and regulators. The underlying principles and the technology have largely evolved as a result of accidents. 5. ENTRY REQUIREMENTS The courses are aimed at the professional upgrading and development of persons entering or employed in the rail industry, or consultants. Normally, applicants would have a diploma or degree, however applicants without a recognised degree or diploma but having significant experience and demonstrated competence in any field of rail have been accepted into the courses. 6. MODE OF OPERATION AND DURATION The courses can be offered face to face at a training location or at a university for one week duration per course. However, the demographics and geography of course registrants can make on campus or central location attendance for the course difficult especially with employers loathe to permit their staff 407

to attend full-time for an extended period. Consequently the primary form of offering to date has been via off-campus distance mode, i.e. via correspondence. Registrants in each course receive a pack of high quality study notes and a structured study program at the commencement of the course. The materials received extensive learning and graphic design input in their preparation and so are very easy for participants to study in an individualised self paced mode. The materials constantly require participants to use rail related resources that are readily available via the web (eg rail companies' web sites) or local university or state libraries. But more importantly, participants are expected where possible to draw on the knowledge and experience of their co-workers in other parts of their rail organisation - all participants are rail employees or work in industries related to rail. The presentation of the content for each course module provides a written guide related to module topics. This design is intended to facilitate the readers' learning by: identifying important concepts; presenting illustrations, case studies and examples; providing a commentary on the subject matter; and providing activities for reflection and problems for reader to resolve. While some modules require more study time than others, each module follows a similar format: introduction; objectives; content; learning activities; references. 7. ASSESSMENT OF LEARNING When a participant in the courses finishes a module they are required to submit an assessable assignment of approximately 2500 words in length in order to gain a passing grade in the course. However, within those constraints the individual participant's approach to their study is entirely self-paced. The assignments, in general, are purposefully designed to challenge the participant based on his/her acquired knowledge and not merely for reproducing available written information. The assignments usually reflect the case studies and activities participants undertook during their study of the module. The general assessment criteria used in awarding a grade in each module is based on creative and insightful synthesis of appropriate ideas from a wide range of sources; including quality of organisation and presentation. Once the assessment in a course has been undertaken and passing grades awarded, registrants receive a certificate of successful completion. The courses can constitute appropriate credit towards the participant's professional body's continuing professional development requirements, but the courses are also fully equivalent to graduate level studies and so are able to be claimed against appropriate graduate programs the participant may undertake. 8. EXPERIENCE AND CONCLUSION The two industry focused rail courses have been developed and offered jointly by Queensland University of Technology (QUT) and Australian Railway Research Institute (ARRI) each year from 2002 to 2004 by distance education. The courses have received registrations from around Australia, as well as from New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Brazil totalling over 100 participants in total. The courses were very favourably received by the participants as evidenced through their responses to the "Course Evaluation Form". Feedback from participants included words such as: interesting; excellent; challenging; excellent induction and orientation; good to learn about another country's rail system; broadened my, vision and understanding of the industry, etc. An interesting comment was received from an operation manager who reported how, during a high level meeting, the manager confidently asked the infrastructure people all the inquisitive questions learned during the course and required an answer from them on how to improve the efficiency of the operation! An overseas participant in their case study assignment analysing the Annual Report of an Australian railway for the Business module said "the current Annual Report gives a glowing picture of achievements and increased revenue over the previous year, while the profit was down with little or no redress of the downturn"; the participant finished off their assignment with comments showing that the exercise had been "very interesting!". The majority of the registrants maintained that the courses have assisted them in their current occupation; some of them also used the courses as credits towards other postgraduate studies. As these railway courses were widely acknowledged to be innovative and to have satisfied an important need, the original copyright holders adapted them to form a book in order to provide a one stop shop for those who wish to apprise 408

themselves of up-to-date practices in the changing railway environment [6]. There have been a number of issues, however, during running the courses that impacted on their operation. A significant controlling factor was the general lack of available time amongst already stressed professionals; the progress of quite a number of participants was impeded by peaking demands in employer imposed workload from time to time, changed project deadlines, new employment, restructured employer, and so on. A self-imposed factor that consumed time for participants was the personal commitment to and great interest in the study materials. Participants tended to search very widely and in detail to gather information to complete their assignments which, together with their desire to produce professional and high quality submissions, meant that the amount of time per module was often much more than what was expected. Also, as expected, some participants found different modules harder (or easier) depending on their background. In conclusion, a large majority of the participants enjoyed and greatly benefited from the courses, through their increased awareness and understanding of what was entailed in the tasks undertaken by and responsibilities of various sections and fellow employees of the railway business the participants worked in. All of this helps contribute to a better functioning workplace, where staff more effectively interact and respect each other's roles. To ensure a more cohesive and effective workforce in the increasingly fragmented rail industry will therefore require employers to recognise the benefits of such courses and to systematically support and encourage employees to take on these forms of training. Those who undertake these courses already invest heavily of their personal time and energies to do so, to the benefit of their workplace. 9. REFERENCES 1 Oghanna W, et al, Industry/University Collaborative Technology Transfer in Railway Engineering, Conference on Railway Engineering, Melbourne, 1995 2 Crawford F, Continuing Education and Training, Control and Engineering Journal, July, 1990 3 National Committee on Railway Engineering (NCRE Education Sub-Committee), Institution of Engineers, Australia, 1994 and 1995 4 Yates A, Engineering for Rail Sector Growth, A Report on Engineering Rail Skills Shortages in Australia, Institution of Engineers Australia, 1999 5 QUT & ARRI, New Railway Environment: a multi disciplinary business concept Courses, Queensland University of Technology &Australian Railway Research Institute, 2002 6 Oghanna W, Murray M, Dring J (eds), The New Railway Environment: a multi disciplinary business concept, EA Books, Institution of Engineers Australia, 2004 409