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Passenger Transport Driver Apprenticeships

Introduction To Passenger Transport Driver Apprenticeships

Are you a school leaver thinking about driving careers? If you have decided you want to get straight into the world of work rather than going on to further full time study and you are considering driving jobs, then the best route for you could be to do Driving Apprenticeships.

Apprenticeships are valuable because you will be learning and earning at the same time. And the great news is, once you have completed your Apprenticeship training, you will be awarded with qualifications that are nationally recognised. This means that in the future, when you consider other professional driver jobs, you will be able to show employers that you have the skills and the training necessary to carry out your work effectively and safely.

Driving jobs come in all shapes and sizes and the Driving Apprenticeships in this article are those which focus on carrying passengers. People travel by bus, coach and rail for many different reasons. It might be a commute, a fun day trip or even a national or international holiday. If you want to meet new people on a daily basis and make sure you get them from point to point in a safe manner, then Passenger Transport Driver Apprenticeships could be ideal for you.

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How Do Passenger Transport Driver Apprenticeships Work?

Your experience during your Driving Apprenticeships will vary depending on your employer and also the type of driving jobs you are doing. After all, if you are driving a bus around town, then your experience will be different to coach driving jobs where you might be going long distances or taking organised tours. Don’t worry, though, because you will still be awarded with the same, nationally recognised qualifications when you complete your Driving Apprenticeships.

At the moment, the Passenger Carrying Vehicles Driver Apprenticeships are for those of you looking to do coach and bus driving jobs for a living. If you’ve had a long time dream about working in rail travel and are looking for trainee train driver jobs then there are Rail Services Apprenticeships where you will learn the necessary skills.

Whichever type of driving jobs you do, transporting passengers is more than just being behind the wheel or the controls and getting them from one place to another. Customer care is also an important part of professional driver jobs.

Customer care is all about behaving in a professional manner when you are carrying your passengers - being friendly and approachable. Some passengers might have questions about the about the route, the length of the journey or other queries related to the trip. There could also be times, too, of course where you might need to handle difficult situations or calm a heated moment.

Coach and bus driving jobs could also see you working with specific groups of people on a regular basis. For example, you might be a school bus driver. If you love to be around children, then this type of role could be ideal for you. Other driving careers could see you working with elderly people or disabled people.

As well as dealing with passengers, Driving Apprenticeships will also give you a knowledge of the safety regulations and legislation which surrounds the transportation of passengers. Whether you are doing local driving jobs such as short bus routes, or you are operating long distance journeys, you will have to make sure your vehicle meets the safety standards and is fully equipped for the journey.

As well as the type of vehicle you are learning to drive, Driving Apprenticeships can vary due to your drivers hours. After you have completed your training, some driving jobs might be a set number of hours each week, you might work split shifts, whilst others could see you driving long distances around the UK and abroad. Drivers hours for many roles will see you working evenings and weekends as well as during the weekdays.

If you are looking for bus driver jobs or coach driving, then Passenger Transport Driver Apprenticeships are at Intermediate Level 2. Let’s take a look at what’s involved and the qualifications you will receive.

Intermediate Level 2 Passenger Carrying Vehicles (Bus & Coach) Driver Apprenticeship

  • Employment Rights & Responsibilities - where you will learn about contracts of employment and health and safety.
  • Level 1 Maths and English (if this wasn’t achieved in school).

At the end of your Driving Apprenticeships, qualifications specific to driving that you should receive will be:

  • Category D driving licence (this means you can carry passengers on buses and coaches).
  • Driver CPC - Initial Driver Certificate of Professional Competence.
  • QCF Level 2 Award in Knowledge for a Professional Bus & Coach Driver.
  • NVQ Level 2 Diploma in Passenger Carrying Vehicle Driving (Bus and Coach).nternationally recognised so you could even continue your digital marketing career abroad in the future if that’s the route you want to take.

Intermediate Level 2 Rail Services Apprenticeships

Train driver jobs are the dream of many rail lovers and if this is you, train driver Apprenticeships could be ideal for you. It is possible to choose one of five pathways to train in and one of those pathways is trainee train driver jobs. When you complete Level 2, you will be awarded:

  • Level 1 Maths and English (if you didn’t already achieve it in school)
  • Employment Rights & Responsibilities
  • Level 2 NVQ Diploma in Rail Services (Driving) (QCF)
  • Level 2 Award in Rail Services

These qualifications mean you will be able to do train driver jobs on underground, overground and mainline trains.

Trailblazer Apprenticeship Standards

You might have heard that Apprenticeships are currently undergoing a change and, eventually, all trades and professions will have new Apprenticeship Standards. This is also true of Driving Apprenticeships and once the Standards are ready for delivery, you will do a Level 2 Passenger Transport Driver - Bus, Coach & Rail. At the end, you will receive the same Driving Apprenticeship qualifications but you will specialise in your chosen area.

Further Career Development After Level 2 Driving Apprenticeships

Driving careers don’t need to stop at just driving your vehicle. Some drivers gain more qualifications as their career develops. These qualifications and courses could be in areas such as first aid, health & safety or training specifically related to the types of passengers they are transporting.

Depending on the type of company you are working for, you could also move from driving into management roles such as passenger transport operations.

Apply For Passenger Transport Driver Apprenticeships In The UK

So, do you think driving careers sound right up your street? If you love the idea of getting people from A to B in a safe and professional way, then take a look to see if there any Driving Apprenticeships to suit you and you could soon be doing your dream driving jobs.

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