The Highways Agency
Key Benefits
- Over 90 Dartford Crossing Traffic Officers retrained for the Highways Agency
- Training was delivered at times to suit the client including weekends and shifts
- Change programme successfully supported to achieve the desired cultural development
- Safer working environment achieved through focussed management training
Background
For several years PDM has continued to be one of the major training providers for the Highways Agency (HA), 
an Executive Agency of the Department for Transport (DfT).
PDM’s consultants, trainers and coaches designed and delivered foundation training to new Traffic Officers at the Traffic Learning Centre and various locations in the UK. Through foundation training PDM developed proven expertise in meeting organisational expectations and adapting to individual learning needs.
PDM is adept at facilitating learning interventions at all levels and can cover subjects such as health & safety, communication using radio systems, first aid, driving skills and behaviours, incident management and working safely as individuals and teams in safety critical environments.
Building on our experience, PDM delivered the conversion of over 90 Dartford Crossing Traffic Officers and management into the HA in order that they might support operations on the wider network. The officers were individually coached by qualified and experienced PDM professionals in accordance with HA policies and safe operating procedures.
This conversion spanned weekends and all hours as part of the coaching and assessment process involved ‘on the job’ observation and the HA operate a shift system that is maintained 24 hours, 365 days a year.
Outcome
PDM assisted in developing the positive cultural change of transferring employees into a large organisation focused primarily on the safety of its officers and staff. Emphasis was placed on the management of safety for themselves, other service responders and the general public using the network.
As an HSE approved first aid training provider and the preferred training provider for the design and delivery of bespoke first aid training for HA Traffic Officers, PDM has travelled to many locations around the UK to ensure they are provided with emergency training that addresses the likely incidents that they may experience in their hazardous environment.
PDM designed and delivered the foundation and refresher first aid training for over 300 officers. This training has been delivered with a focus on safe working procedures in a safety critical environment and the evaluation analysed by a third party organisation has highlighted that the training has been very well received.
In addition PDM has successfully delivered the Managing Safely course to HA Team Managers from regional areas and trainers from the Traffic Learning Centre.
"The knowledge that I received was concise and has made a significant leap in my understanding of managing a positive cultural change to ensure a safer working environment."
"This is a must have training course."
"I found the training delivered by PDM quite excellent."
Highways Agency Traffic Officers