System Training Helps Tesco Increase Profits and Reduce Pollution

System Training has won a major new contract to train driving instructors for supermarket giant Tesco.

The national training company, a member of Logistics Academy North West, has been commissioned to deliver training to six members of Tesco staff - who will go on to become driver training instructors to over 3000 Tesco goods vehicle drivers.

The deal came about after Tesco began looking for a solution to training its workforce to comply with new Driver CPC legislation, which became mandatory in September 2009.

SAFED (Safe and Fuel Efficient Driving) techniques will help Tesco meet its target of reducing diesel consumption by 7% (as documented in the BBC’s Panorama programme). In turn, the proposed fuel savings will increase company profits and reduce pollution.

A partnership was formed and System Training provided the global grocery firm with advice on how to spot a good potential driver trainer.  Those initial six driver training instructors have recently completed the two-week driver instructor training programme, which is completely bespoke to Tesco and will give the instructors the ability to deliver classroom training to 3100 Tesco drivers.

Having recruited the trainers and up-skilled the chosen few, System Training will also provide them with a toolkit to enable them to pass on their knowledge.  System Training has also worked closely with Tesco to harmonise their training materials with the requirements of the Driver CPC, and provided instructor manuals and workbooks for drivers on each individual course.

Over the course of the deal System Training will continue to provide administrative support to Tesco and will monitor the progress of the drivers involved in the scheme.  System will also upload the training data to the Driver Standards Agency and JAUPT websites to ensure the training is being carried out correctly and provide the drivers with the required legal qualifications.  They will also work closely with Tesco to set robust procedures to ensure ongoing quality of training is of the highest possible standard, and is actually over and above the requirements of the Driver CPC guidelines.

Tesco recently announced interim results that showed a 2.8% growth in UK sales, and the household name is hoping to use innovative staff training schemes like the one provided by System Training to help boost its efficiency and profit margins.

Robin Brown, Chief Executive of System Training, said:
“With the new Driver CPC legislation in place, it puts even more emphasis on quality staff training and Tesco are well aware of the benefit this can bring to their operational costs and procedures.  Our training of the Tesco instructors needed to be of the highest calibre to ensure their high quality delivery of the programme to such a high number of Tesco employees.  With environmentally friendly transport solutions high on everyone’s agenda at present, the driving techniques with not only make the Tesco drivers safer, but also more fuel efficient. We have also implemented a very robust audit and review process to ensure the long term success of this relationship.”