Tamar Coaches has engaged with young people to demonstrate what it is like to work at the Plymouth operator and highlight the breadth of future career options that are presented by the coach and bus industry.
Such work is a furthering of the business’s efforts to bring new blood into the coach sector, which have already seen the recruitment of three drivers who are aged under 20.
The collaborative awareness raising saw Tamar Coaches hold a first educational visit to its operating centre in partnership with Millfields Inspired, a local charity that is committed to creating sustainable change for young people, particularly in areas of social deprivation.
By partnering with businesses in and around Plymouth, Millfields Inspired works with primary schools to give pupils meaningful exposure to different workplaces and careers. The aim is to broaden their understanding of future job possibilities and build confidence to pursue ambitions.
Tamar Coaches notes how Managing Director of the business Tom Pearce “wanted the day to be informative, fun, and truly memorable.”
It saw 28 pupils and staff from Mount Wise Community Primary School welcomed to the operator’s depot. They were given an introduction and short addresses on management roles, the tours office, and the workshop, including an opportunity to access an inspection pit to view the underside of a coach and understand how vehicles are maintained.
Following that, the group was able to explore the Tamar Coaches fleet. That included the all-important scope to sit in the driver’s seat, viewing an open-top bus, and seeing how the passenger lift works in a PSVAR compliant coach.
Also joining the event was Brandon Bourne of local supplier BT Tyres. He explained to pupils what is involved in working with coach and bus tyres, and the day-to-day role of a tyre fitter.
After lunch, the students took part in a mock PCV driving test. That used a newly-built, two-seater battery-electric ‘micro coach’ (pictured, top) and proved to be one of the most exciting parts of the day for group members.
Before departure, they each were given a special gift by the operator – not office supplies, but something intended to be what it terms fun and memorable in the form of a 200-piece Lego coach model on a VDL Futura FHD2.
Work with Millfields Inspired complements the other successful efforts by Tamar Coaches to bring younger people into its business. Of the three drivers aged under 20 at the time of recruitment, two were trained to PCV standards by the firm, with the third having moved from another operator at 19.
Notably, both of those young drivers trained by Tamar Coaches are former passengers on its home-to-school services. Each had expressed an interest to Mr Pearce in joining.
“Tom said to both, jokingly, to apply for a job when they were 18 and he would pay for their training,” explains Transport Manager Tristan Kelly. “And both did. Tom kept his word, and they are both employed now as drivers.”
Millfields Inspired has thanked Tamar Coaches for its support. The charity says that the operator’s team “went above and beyond to give the children a real insight into the transportation sector, sharing their roles and experiences and showing just what it is like to work in the industry.”
Efforts from members of the operator’s team to deliver an engaging visit for the pupils “completely exceeded expectations,” the charity adds. “Their willingness to step outside their comfort zone, trust the process and create such a meaningful experience for the children was amazing to see.”
