Austrade media release
Thursday, 13 December 2007
Australian company, Rail Training International, has secured a $2.8 million dollar contract with South Africa’s largest railway company, TransNet, to provide its specialised driver training to help improve rail travel transport and safety.
Austrade’s dedicated rail industry specialist, senior export adviser, Ian Robb, said TransNet originally spoke to education providers in the US and Asia with a view to overhauling driver training systems.
The Melbourne company entered the frame when Austrade advised TransNet of RTI’s international track record in rail education.
“RTI was able to show TransNet a range of programs which had proven their worth both in Asia and Australia, and represented a comprehensive new approach to driver training,” Mr Robb said.
RTI’s Managing Director, Leonard Baldwin, said his company provided several key points of difference crucial to overcoming significant international competition.
“We demonstrated the advantages of accelerated learning techniques, and a facilitation rather than instruction approach, including techniques such as role plays that help students make the most of their own life experiences,” Mr Baldwin said.
“We also emphasised the need to introduce students to a completely new environment for training, bringing them to Australia for the first leg of the program, which was completed in August,” Mr Baldwin said.
“The aim was to provide a fresh context to help drivers analyse their role and how it impacted across TransNet’s entire business, from passenger safety and customer service, right through to understanding how driver actions can affect company logistics, from shipping to truck transportation systems,” Mr Baldwin said.
Austrade helped RTI overcome the tyranny of distance to South Africa from initial discussions right through to deal negotiations.
“It made a difference having someone on the ground in market who could maintain contacts and negotiations on our behalf,” Mr Baldwin said.
RTI are currently training 52 TransNet staff with the possibility of a further 50 additional recruits in the New Year.
“RTI is about to undertake the second leg of their training program in South Africa, with a greater emphasis on targeting areas of competence that could be enhanced, and helping TransNet staff maintain a process of continual improvement, through techniques such as on-the-spot audit checks,” Mr Baldwin said.
“Our work so far has also provided the opportunity to identify further areas of assistance RTI could supply to TransNet, and we are now discussing the possibility of opening a South African office in the near future.
"Austrade is also helping us pursue further deals in both South East Asia and Africa,” Mr Baldwin said.
With a dedicated rail industry export specialist, Austrade works closely with key industry stakeholders such as the Australian Railways Industry Corporation. In 2006-07 Austrade helped rail industry exporters achieve 19 deals worth over A$1 billion.
ENDS
Media contact
Sarkis Khoury
Senior Media Adviser
Tel: +61 2 9390 2118
Mob: +61 414 401 072
Email: sarkis.khoury@austrade.gov.au
For further news and information from the Australian Trade Commission (Austrade) visit www.austrade.gov.au/mediacentre. |