As all of you would be aware, training organisations in our industry often deliver sub-standard training. The RTBU has long been concerned with the safety implications that arise as a result of poor practice by such organisations, and now, we are setting out to fix that problem.
On 1 August, the RTBU acquired Training Ahead Australia (TAA). We plan to maximise its potential to:
- Ensure quality training for our industry
- Deliver medicals (Category 3 at first and then more later)
- Improve safety standards
- Become a point of recruitment
- Deliver training to our Officials, employees, Delegates, HSRs and more.
- In time, offer free courses to all RTBU members who want to upskill or cross-skill and tap into other industry opportunities
Over the coming months, key personnel from TAA and the RTBU will meet to formulate a strategy on how to maximise TAA’s potential for the benefit of all members. This will include strategy on expansion of its Victorian operations to the rest of the country, expanding the medicals and courses TAA offers, and even considering whether to turn TAA into a not-for-profit for the benefit of all.
TAA’s ultimate success will take time to achieve. We are hitting the ground running but will need your patience and support over the coming period while we map out and then steer TAA to its full potential.
It is an exciting time to be in our industry, and I will make sure our union takes full advantage to ensure members are front and centre.
As enterprise agreement negotiations arise, if there is potential at your employer for TAA to deliver training, we will be seeking your backing to force clauses into the enterprise agreement requiring your employer to train workers with TAA. Being union trained at union quality will and should become a way of life in our industries. But your support is essential to achieve this.
Over time, I want to ensure that your RTBU membership will bring you much more than the union representation we deliver today, but also as members’ career progression and training partner for life. As TAA grows and becomes more successful, we intend to provide training opportunities for members to upskill or cross skill within our industries – free of charge.
All of this will take time to achieve and we thank you for your patience and understanding as we embark on one of the most transformative endeavours the RTBU has undertaken in recent years.
I am committed to seeing this project through and ensuring we are there at every step of your career, ensuring that your job in rail or public transport remains a job for life!
Should you wish to find out more, don’t hesitate to get in contact with me.
