National rail contractor, QTS Group, continues to spearhead training within the rail industry as it welcomes new trainers and enhances the skills of its current work force.
Paul Knowles and Craig Loveman have recently joined QTS Training Ltd, the training arm of QTS Group. Paul has joined as a new Trainer and Assessor, while Craig has joined as an Assessor and Trainee Trainer. Additionally, Ross Stamper, who is currently an Assessor, is undergoing training to become a fully-fledged trainer.
Paul has joined QTS Training following a rail industry career spanning almost 25 years. During this time, Paul has covered a vast majority of rail disciplines from maintenance to planning, before moving into a training role at AmcoGiffen in 2019.
Based at the Linby, Nottinghamshire headquarters, Paul will play a key role in building the firm’s presence in England, leading on the delivery of training courses and the assessment, training and development of their participants.
Paul will also have an instrumental role in developing the Controller of Site Safety (COSS) material for QTS Group’s pioneering COSS Development Academy, which was launched in 2021 to develop and enhance the skills of QTS team members who hold this key safety critical role. Paul is now responsible for the further development of the programme, along with other enhancements to safety critical learning.
Craig Loveman became a member of QTS Training in December 2023. He has extensive experience in the industry and has worked as an assessor and Trainee Trainer in recent years. He was eager to grow his skills and advance as a Railway Safety Critical Trainer and Assessor.
Since joining the team, QTS Training has provided Craig with mentorship and training to improve his skills. He can now provide Controller of Site Safety (COSS) training and various small plant competencies. He is currently working towards achieving Engineering Supervisor training capability.
Ross Stamper joined QTS Group as a Training Administrator back in 2018, where he was responsible for booking courses, filing course paperwork and assisting the trainers.
Over the course of five years, Ross has been working towards his goal of becoming a fully qualified Assessor and Trainer. This included undertaking his assessor qualification, obtaining his Controller of Site Safety (COSS) competence and gaining operational experience throughout the divisions of QTS Group. He has now achieved assessor status from NSAR and is well on his journey to become a rail Trainer.
Ross credits QTS’s mentorship programme as being instrumental to his career progression. He said: “Working with experienced assessors and seeing how they do things has been so helpful! The team have been hugely supportive, and I’ve found their mentorship invaluable.”
Lorna Gibson, Managing Director of QTS Training said: “Investing in the upskilling of our existing staff reaffirms our dedication to staying at the forefront of the rail industry. Ross is well on his way to becoming a competent trainer and we’re incredibly proud of all that he has achieved.
“We’re also thrilled to welcome Paul and Craig to the QTS family, enhancing our commitment to delivering top-tier training solutions. Their expertise will undoubtedly enrich our team’s capabilities.
“At QTS, we believe that a well-equipped team is key to providing unparalleled learning experiences, and these developments align with our vision for continued excellence in training services.”
In April of this year, QTS Group will celebrate its 15th anniversary of QTS Training.
