Driver Training Study Tour March 2011

Zambian driver trainers Malikana Ailola and Peter Tembo visited the UK to take part in the first ever Transaid driver trainer study tour.  The trainers, based at the Industrial Training Centre (ITC) in Zambia, were hosted by several Transaid member companies to see how transport and logistics operations work in the UK.

The visit is part of an ongoing exchange of expertise and shared best practice between the UK and the Zambian Institute as part of Transaid’s Professional Driver Training Project to improve commercial vehicle driving standards in Africa. Participating companies have also sent volunteers to Zambia.

Peter and Malikana followed an intensive programme of training and observation which included a variety of warehouse visits, operating in a hazardous chemical environment, forklift truck and tyre safety training for trainers, and visits to truck manufacturers and bus operations.

This combination of additional training and shadowing of transport managers enabled the Zambian trainers to pick up additional skills and consolidate their learning further.  Senior Trainer Malikana, was greatly inspired by what he saw and will use the information generated to create new modules of training in Zambia.  The pair have also taken back what they have learned to share with other trainers.

There are now six qualified trainers in place at the ITC since the project began in late 2008 and over 1400 drivers and 70 transport managers have been trained.

Transaid is grateful to all the companies who supported this initiative including:  Bibby Distribution, Ceva Logistics, Clipper Logistics, Hoyer, MAN Truck & Bus, Michelin, Norbert Dentressangle, Stagecoach and Wincanton.