The NSAR annual report 2022 was introduced at our AGM and Skills Symposium on 25 November.
In 2022, NSAR continued to deliver its expert services across workforce planning and development solutions, training programme quality assurance, apprenticeship services and membership services.
Highlights from the year included:
- Continuing to assure the quality of rail training – as evidenced by 115 assurance visits, 95 additional visits (such as advisory visits, practical site approvals and trainer observations) and 18 new investigations.
- Using our data analysis and workforce planning expertise to collaborate on 15 reports and data reviews, informing the industry about skills shortages, social value and the importance of workforce planning.
- Maintaining a strong suite of apprenticeship frameworks, as evidenced by one completed and five ongoing reviews.
- Ensuring that 18,938 apprentices across four sectors have been properly assessed.
- The development of a new strategy that plans the next three years for NSAR and introduces new services that support closer collaboration with the industry to further respond to skills challenges.
- Launched a new website and a refreshed brand that better demonstrates our expert capabilities and professionalism – thus improving how we interact with prospective members.
- Received full marks in a BSI audit of our Quality Assurance services, for the second year running.
- Helped to grow productivity through the successful completion of TIES Living Lab, a £16m modernising infrastructure programme, delivered in collaboration with 25 partners.
- Exported our expertise in workforce planning to Norway, Australia and the Philippines.
- Supported the Department for Transport, Great British Railways and Network Rail with people and skills-related policy.
- Further developed the Routes into Rail website as an industry-wide resource to encourage new and diverse people into rail careers.
In her foreword to the Annual Report, NSAR Chair Dyan Crowther says:
“2022 has been another challenging year for the rail industry. With passengers returning and investment in rail increasing, the magnitude of the skills shortage faced by the rail industry is becoming stark.
“NSAR has worked hard to support the industry to address this challenge. It has consolidated and extended its core areas of delivery to ensure the services it provides meet industry needs. The industry is more competent, informed and a safer place to work thanks to the dedicated effort of NSAR and the ongoing support of its members and funders.”
