Lucky learners at First Group Aberdeen are making the most of their unique mobile learning centre, funded by learndirect scotland for business, Aberdeen College, First Group and the Transport and General Workers’ Union (TGWU).
First Group is the largest bus operator in the UK, running more than one in five of all local bus services and carrying 2.8 million passengers every day.
The learning centre has been set up on one of First Group’s own vehicles, customised to include eight workstations, two scanners and a printer. It is also fully fitted for disabled access, and includes image enhancers for the visually impaired.
Colin Buchan, learning representative with First Group Aberdeen, said; “We set up the learning centre a year ago and have had many learners pass through our doors since then.
“We offer three basic programmes to all our learners: ‘Computers Don’t Byte’, ‘IT for All’, and ‘Webwise’. Once our learners are comfortable with using computers and the Internet, they are able to move on to more specific courses, such as the learning bytes programme offered by learndirect scotland for business.
“At First Group Aberdeen, we have around 140 staff using the learning centre. Already, 14 have completed the European Computer Driving Licence course, and many others have benefited from the learning bytes courses. Courses that tackle the ins and outs of customer service have proved especially useful for bus drivers.”
At present, the learning centre is utilised mainly by First Bus staff and their families. Colin hopes that eventually the learning centre will get out on the road, and deliver learning throughout the local community.
“Learner drivers are using our learning centre to practice their theory tests and, as a consequence, there has been a vast improvement in pass rates. We want to extend these sorts of opportunities to other would-be learners in the community.”
Local learndirect scotland for business training partner, Kay Newton, said: “The mobile learning centre is a great idea. Staff at First Group Aberdeen are already seeing the advantages of online learning. Hopefully it won’t be too long before people in local community can benefit too.”