Graham Chesters

Said the following about David Parr:

“David Parr is the ASLEF Learner of the Year for 2016. David has proved that barriers to learning can be overcome if you have the motivation and desire to achieve your goals. David recently completed a Level 2 IT Application Specialist Diploma (ITQ Apprenticeship) during a year when he completed a marathon bike ride, had to travel extensively to the course sessions and experienced a traumatic family bereavement, as well as balancing the usual challenges of a full time job and family commitments.

The IT course that David attended was set up via ASLEF Education in partnership with Stephenson College. The IT courses are on offer to rail workers across various venues in Birmingham, Derby, Leeds and London. To achieve his Level 2 computer qualification David had to complete modules in IT security, word processing, e-publications, email and internet, PowerPoint presentations, Excel spreadsheets as well as functional skills assessments in Maths and English. David travelled regularly from Plymouth to attend the IT sessions at Birmingham with the Stephenson College tutor (Cheryl Duncan-Ratcliffe) over a 12 month period. As well as the long distance travelling commitment to Birmingham, David even attended some assessments in London on his rest days to ensure that he could complete the course.

David has been a member of the train drivers union for 30 years and started as a trainee driver back in April 1986. He started his career in Ashford, before moving on to Dover, Eurostar at Waterloo and then Plymouth. David’s father was a railway worker before him and spent 41 years on the railways and 26 of those as a driver. Sadly, David’s father passed away suddenly in November 2015 whilst David was nearing the end of his course. This was inevitably an emotional and difficult time for David and his family. David wrote a personal and moving tribute to his dad which was included in the ASLEF Journal in January 2016.

Whilst doing his course David managed to find some time to complete a charity cycle ride from Lands’ End to John O’Groats during the summer of 2015. David planned out the journey and completed this on his own over eleven days, averaging approximately 90 miles per day. He raised funds for the British Heart Foundation. He had previously raised funds for cancer charities, including some unusual challenges like rowing around the Eddystone Lighthouse which is 12 miles off the coast of Plymouth. He has also completed triathlon events including his first Iron Man Triathlon in 2009.

David was presented with his ASLEF Learner of the Year Award by Mick Whelan, ASLEF General Secretary, at the ASLEF Union Learning Conference on Friday 4th March. The Conference taking place in the magnificent historic conference hall at the Durham Miners Association building in Durham with sixty ASLEF Union Learning Reps in attendance. When presenting the award Mick praised David for his hard work and commitment to compete his IT qualification and stated how important the role of ULRs have been in setting up courses for ASLEF members: ‘Education leads to choice, and belief comes from Education, Education leads to liberation’.

David’s tutor, Cheryl from Stephenson College, paid tribute to him by saying: David has worked very conscientiously throughout the course and I have seen his IT skills as well as his confidence in his IT abilities improve with each unit he has completed. He is a positive role model for a mature student, successfully balancing the course around his work/home and other commitments, including his charity bike ride’.

David found the course very beneficial, and commented: “More than ever before members are expected to have a certain knowledge of IT skills in the modern working environment, with new digital technologies being introduced. It is a worthy 12 month course and it has given me a deeper knowledge of everyday computing use.  The only commitment is having the self-discipline to manage yourself, with the completion of each module and tests in the allocated time frame. In addition to this, I really enjoyed the course and would encourage others to take advantage of the courses offered by ASLEF Education.“