Port of Tilbury upholds apprenticeship training standards with RTITB End Point Assessments

Cold Chain Federation member The Port of Tilbury, the largest multimodal port in the South East and third largest port in the UK, has secured high-quality End Point Assessments (EPAs) for its Supply Chain Warehouse Operative apprentices with the support of another Cold Chain Federation member RTITB’s EPA service.

With operations supporting a range of different sectors and cargoes, the Port of Tilbury is diverse and has a broad range of apprenticeship programmes in place. RTITB has delivered EPAs for seven Supply Chain Warehouse Operative apprentices for the Port of Tilbury so far, with 10 more planned for the next year. 

“The RTITB name comes with credibility, so when we needed EPAs for Supply Chain Warehouse Operatives, RTITB was our first choice,” says Nadine Wood, Early Careers and Skills Development Manager for Port of Tilbury. “We have worked with RTITB for a long time for training, so we knew that their high standards aligned with ours and that we like their way of working.”

Within the Port of Tilbury is the multi award-winning Logistics Training Academy, which provides internal training and development for all staff, including practical and theory plant courses, classroom training and soft skills. It is an RTITB accredited lift truck training centre and has trained hundreds of forklift operators, both employees and external customers.

It has been possible to deliver all EPAs on site at the Port of Tilbury, with RTITB using The Logistics Training Academy facility to complete the theory test component, and then conducting the practical assessment in the real port environment, using equipment that apprentices are familiar with.

“People are our greatest asset at the Port of Tilbury, and we invest significantly to ensure that we are delivering a reliable and efficient service for our customers,” says Paul Dale, Asset and Site Director for Port of Tilbury.  “Through our bespoke apprenticeships we are preparing a workforce of the future through our Logistics Training Academy.”

To help transport and logistics companies to develop this talent pipeline, RTITB is a government registered End Point Assessment Organisation (EPAO).  This means it can conduct impartial, expert assessments for several apprenticeship standards covering workplace transport and the supply chain.

The apprentices assessed by RTITB are now qualified to carry out their role and are a vital part of operations within the port, and ready to help support the expansion of operations with the opening of Tilbury2 in 2020. Tilbury2 will be a new roro terminal and the UK’s largest Construction Material Aggregate Terminal.

“By working together, we have enabled the Port of Tilbury to offer EPAs that are in line with their own high training standards, ensuring that apprentices receive the best quality apprenticeships,” says Dave Cox, End Point Assessment Manager for RTITB.

“We specialise in assessments,” he continues. “Each member of our EPA assessor team are experienced in carrying out workplace assessments, so not only understand how EPAs work, but back this up with industry-knowledge from working with many different businesses.”

To uphold high standards, RTITB assessors regularly hold standardisation meetings which ensure a consistent approach to assessment. RTITB’s expert team also offers ongoing, responsive support and advice for businesses in managing their EPAs. So, wherever help from RTITB has been needed, the Port of Tilbury has been able to get the support required from an EPA Manager.

RTITB has genuine capacity to deliver EPAs nationwide at a suitable date and time, keeping lead times down and ensuring there are no delays for hardworking apprentices at the end of their training. As RTITB EPAs are conducted professionally and efficiently, the potential impact of taking apprentices off duty in order to complete their assessments has been minimised. This has also made it easier for the Port of Tilbury to get buy in for EPAs from management.  

“As a business we have always invested in our people,” says Nadine Wood. “Learning is in our culture and ingrained in our business and maintaining our reputation for quality and our high standards is essential. That’s why we work with RTITB.”

EPAs from RTITB are great value but high quality, with prices starting from just £320 per candidate. Tailored EPA solutions to meet specific business needs are also available.  To find out more or book an EPA, email epa@rtitb.com, call End Point Assessment Manager, Dave Cox on 01952 520200 or visit www.rtitb.com .

To learn more about how RTITB can help employers and what to expect during the EPA process, RTITB provides a free guide to EPAs for employers, training providers and apprentices.

This can be downloaded here: www.rtitb.com/epa-guide