PROMOTING NEW PARKING ENFORCEMENT OFFICER AND MANAGEMENT QUALIFICATIONS

Learning & Development can only increase the professional image

Why the Need for L & D in Parking

• Civil Enforcement Officers (CEO) are engaged in a service that penalises wrong doing; hence it is a role that demands respect

• Members of the public (MOP) need to place a value first on the person & secondly on the service.

• The person in uniform must have the relevant, adequate & appropriate knowledge of the service he is providing

• Translating to public moving away from the culture of looking down on the parking profession.

My journey through Parking

• In 2000, I entered the parking sector as a Parking Attendant

• All that was required was a basic level of literacy & numeracy.

• No qualifications required• Other than passing the initial interview • Advertisements read “no qualification is required”• Most candidates who applied for the Parking Attendant /

Civil Enforcement Officer (CEO) positions were not capable of actually doing the job

• While in training after I had been recruited- l began to realise the infinite & detailed technicalities involved in the role.

• I found myself struggling.

• I sought help & enrolled in the only programme available at the time, Level 2 in Parking Control (NVQ)

• My confidence rapidly increased during & after completing the course

• I also realised I had less & less confrontation with the MOP

• I could better explain the reasons why l had issued PCN.

• I came to understand that my profession is responsible for orderliness & fairness on the road

• Contributing to and increasing the awareness of health & safety of all road users

• That the drive for revenue generation is not the primary target.

• After l completed the NVQ qualification- I became more confident & wanted to learn more

• It enhanced my promotion to the post of Parking Supervisor

• And to Training & Recruitment Officer.

• Enabled me to work various departments within the parking sector

• The in-service learning and development has benefited me in carrying out my role more efficiently.

• It is much more rewarding to work in a profession, having gained the adequate and necessary knowledge to do the role well.

The Benefits of the new L & D suites

• With the introduction of the new suite of leadership and management qualifications, parking is indeed becoming a profession!

• It is important that learning providers offer the different modules so that individuals pursuing different careers can all benefit from the qualifications.

• Completing Level 3 of the qualification could open up opportunities such as Parking Supervisor, Deputy Parking Operations Manager, Deputy Contracts Manager.

• Levels 4 and 5 would offer further promotion to Parking Operations Manager and Contracts Manager

On Employee’s part

• If the relevant learning & development is acquired before being confirmed in the role, new employee’s efficiency, professionalism, confidence and readiness for employment will all be increased.

• Gaining qualifications opens the door to a wide range of job roles and allows the employee to become the right person for the employer and gives them a multi-skilled approach to a career in the parking sector.

On Employers’ part

• Have a lower staff turnover means that more experienced staff can concentrate their efforts on carrying out their everyday role, rather than mentoring and supervising new staff.

• Parking contractors / companies are likely to have more satisfied clients due to staff being better qualified and experienced to meet the contractual KPI.

On the Part of BPA & IPP

• Everyone in this room knows the answer!

• Thank you for your time & attention

• Any questions