Case studies archive

Case study 4 - Planning for the future with Project Brunel

Background

Over recent years concerns have been expressed by Industry and within TfL, at apparent skills shortages beginning to emerge within the engineering, technical and planning professions relevant to the transport industry.

Project Brunel was established to examine TfL’s requirements for engineering and planning resource, to identify skills issues within the market and supply chain and to provide medium to long term solutions.

The Projects Board was established in March 2007 by senior level Directors from across TfL. The initial programme of work has concentrated on building links within the Industry and developing an information base. Much of this work has been completed and a second programme of work is currently being developed.

First Phase Purpose

To understand current and future engineering and technical resourcing shortages within TfL and the transport sector and create learning, training and recruitment mechanisms to address skills shortages

Highlights

Jointly funded industry study with the Department for Transport (DfT), London Development Agency (LDA), Institute of Highways and Transportation and Railway Industry Association to look at skills gaps within the industry and potential solutions;

Survey within TfL to establish current and future requirements
- Increase engineering/ planning staff from 735 to 1021 (40%) by 2010/11
- Decrease of consultancy/ contract positions from 273 to 221 by 2010/11
A pilot placement and sponsorship scheme for engineers and planners is being established by Group HR;
A Review of East London Line Extension and Highway Maintenance contracts has been used to inform improvements to TfL’s contractual mechanisms and procurement processes to increase employment and training opportunities to local communities through TfL’s major projects;

The LDA are developing and funding a “one-stop” shop brokerage service that will allow TfL projects and suppliers access to training and employment schemes and connect them to community organisations.

An education programme has been created in partnership with the London Transport Museum, the Royal Academy of Engineering and the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Network (STEMNET).

Education packs have been developed
An ambassadorship scheme that uses TfL engineers and planners to act as role models in schools is currently being developed;

University partnerships are being piloted to develop placement and sponsorship schemes for engineering and planning students to look at how broader training and research opportunities might be linked into an integrated programme;

Second Phase Programme

The second phase programme concentrates on the implementation of the recommendations arising out of the first phase programme. It is composed of six themes that will run till December 2008

Second Phase Highlights

Education - Schools

Increase interest and awareness of the industry, professions and TfL within schools/ colleges

Education Packs available on Intranet/ Internet (Mar 08);
25 Ambassadors developed across TfL (Jun 08);
50 Schools covered in pilot (Oct 08);

Education – Virtual Academy

Link universities and FE Colleges into a virtual transport academy that meets TfL, suppliers and partners skills and training requirements.

Establish outline concept and demand (May 08)
Determine and accredit training modules (Sept 08)
Develop partnership structures and funding (Sept 08)
Implement academy model (Dec 08)

Suppliers/ Strategic Labour Needs and Training (SLNT)

Ensure greater level of training and employment opportunities offered to local communities by TfL Suppliers;

SLNT improvements implemented including procurement processes and toolkit (Jul 08);
Roll out of SLNT requirements to a greater range of projects and suppliers (Dec 08)
Greater training/ support offered to procurement / projects groups (Jul 08)
Key Supplier Forums established to undertake joint initiatives (Jul 08);

Recruitment

Develop sponsorship/ trainee schemes to meet scarce skills requirements within TfL;

Pilot sponsorship and placement programme is currently being implemented (Jul 08);
Target is to have 2 sponsored engineering/ planning students per mode; (Sept 08)
Develop engineering apprenticeship/ trainee schemes in TfL/ Partners (Dec 08)

Information

Ensure TfL and the Industry can understand supply and demand trends for key skills/ labour;

Industry Study completed (Apr 08);
Develop a transport industry model to allow ongoing monitoring of engineering and planning skills requirements (Dec 08);

Brokerage

Ensure TfL projects/ suppliers can access funded employment and training schemes;

Skills broker appointed (Apr 08)
Brokerage service within TfL is implemented with current projects (Jul 08)
Additional TfL projects agreed and underway (Sept 08)

Partners

Link the Boroughs into co-operative programmes to meet common skills needs;

Skills survey of the London Boroughs to be undertaken (Apr 08)
Develop joint programmes with Boroughs to address common skills gaps; (Jul 08)