Dulson Training wins contract to run courses for drivers who struggle with maths

It means people aged 19 plus in the county who do not have a GCSE in maths or the equivalent and feel this is a barrier to a desired driving career may be able to access an all-important Driver CPC course free of charge.

Dulson Training has been chosen as one of the delivery partners in the Multiply Funded Driver CPC contract awarded to Shrewsbury College and funded by Shropshire Council.

Steve Dulson, of Dulson Training, said: “As a provider of lorry and bus Driver CPC training we often come across drivers who lack confidence when it comes to numeracy.

“This can be a barrier to learning and lead to a fear of a driving career, especially in terms of dealing with working time directives, complex driver hours, breaks, or working out the legalities of loading, axle weights and payloads.

“Getting any of these wrong could get the driver and operator into serious trouble or worse – it could have a dangerous effect on the driver’s ability to drive the vehicle safely.

“There are other examples where maths is vital for a driver, including how to load and distribute the weight of a load, making sure of the correct percentage of weight in the correct places and that when unloading, subtraction is done correctly to leave the right weight over each wheel.

“Then, if driving a bus, you need to consider the weight of each person's baggage so as to not overload the vehicle.

“The importance of numeracy in employment is recognised by the Government and so for employees who didn’t gain a GCSE in maths or equivalent, assistance is available to help with the mathematical elements of the Driver CPC course.

“The Driver CPC is a requirement for every professional lorry or bus driver. Someone may have started driving and found the maths difficult, or they may have been away from the industry and it's the maths that is creating a barrier. This programme is ideal for them.

“Our Driver CPC courses cover the legalities and good practice of these areas, with added maths support to make sure drivers have the confidence to complete these tasks correctly.

“If you are a driver who has stepped away from the industry or an operator with drivers who are having issues with drivers’ hours and may not be able to continue in their current role due to bad practice, these fully funded 35 hours Driver CPC courses could be what they need.

“What this means to employers is that we can focus on your eligible drivers over 19 years old and deliver their CPC training free of charge, with a particular emphasis on making sure the mathematical elements of the course have sufficient focus to give them the very best chance of success.”

Dulson Training has centres in Wrexham, Shrewsbury, Telford, Ludlow, Wolverhampton and the West Midlands.

For more about the Multiply training programme or to make an appointment, call Dulson Training on 01952 770659.

To find out more about all the training options available through Dulson Training, including obtaining Class 2, Class 1 or any sort of bus or minibus licence, improving towing skills for a trailer to caravan or qualifying as a forklift operator, visit dulsontraining.co.uk/