Q3 2019

37 | Q3 2019 Apr19192 Established in 2008, AssessTech is the Railway Industry’s leading provider of training and technology competency management solutions. The company was recognised as the ‘Best Railway Technology & Training Consultancy’ in the SME 2019 Transport Awards. We spoke to AssessTech’s Director of Operations, Sally Brinkley, to find out more about their expertise, services, and future. Working to Make a Safer Railway AssessTech provide expertise and technology to ensure a “safer railway” for both light and heavy rail companies across the UK and Europe, through industry focused, efficient and effective competence management training and software solutions. What sets them apart is their expertise in providing developmental competence management that focuses the candidate front and centre of the process, targeting their specific needs and encouraging them to own their own competence. “Working with over 25 Train Operating Companies in the UK and internationally, we can see that the implementation of good competence management processes will improve the overall performance of a business. Through continuous training and development of their people in competence management processes and procedures, rail companies can achieve significant benefits in safety, reduction of risk and incident rates. We believe that individuals should be at the front and centre of the process, managing their own individual competence, so we have created standards for developmental competence management, which we use as the base of our training and electronic competence management solutions.” This idea of talent investment is important across a plethora of modern, future-forward industries, but remains fundamental in the transport industry where technological development can only supplement to a certain degree. For the time being at least, people remain that crucial differentiator between an exceptional operating company and an average one. “Ultimately, we specialise in supplying hosted electronic competence management systems and services that offer better visibility of competence related data which, along with complementary training and consulting, means they are better able to assess risk, manage incidents and target spending accordingly.” It can be no surprise that this same ethos is carried over to AssessTech’s own team, as Sally continues. “Our staff are crucial to the success of AssessTech and the customers we engage with. We promote a policy of open innovation and welcome staff members feeding into the overall innovation processes and procedures that happen within AssessTech. We also look for opportunities to further develop our staff and evolve into new roles that enables them to learn new skills and excel in other areas.” As a result of their unrivalled success over the last decade, AssessTech’s future can be defined by further growth and expansion, as they look to solidify their position in the industry. “We are looking to expand our international reach and work with other TOCs and light rail companies outside the UK and we are specifically focusing on engaging more light rail businesses across Europe. This month, we are attending EU Light Rail in Brussels where we are speaking about how we are working with customers to help make a safer railway.” Company: AssessTech Name: Sally Brinkley, Director of Operations Address: 41 Church Road, Guildford, Surrey, GU1 4NQ, United Kingdom Website: www.assesstech.com Telephone: +44 (0)1483 338646 “Developmental Competence Management is all about putting the candidate front and centre of the process, focussing on their needs and encouraging them to own their own competence.”