About us
Independent, consistent and rail-focused.
Railway Competence Group is an awarding organisation dedicated to supporting safe, competent and career-ready railway professionals across the United Kingdom.
Our approach
Assessment decisions you can rely on
We work with employers, training providers, apprentices and candidates to deliver rail apprenticeship assessment and Train Driver Psychometric Testing. Our approach brings together railway expertise, impartial judgement and a clear focus on the demands of operational and safety-critical work.
We believe assessment should be thorough, fair and clearly understood. From initial enquiry through to assessment outcomes, we aim to give everyone involved confidence in the process and clarity about what is required.
Who we are
Assessment for the modern railway
Railway Competence Group was established to bring focus and professionalism to railway assessment.
The railway depends on people who can apply their knowledge and skills reliably, make sound decisions and work responsibly within demanding operational environments. Assessment plays an essential role in establishing that competence and supporting confidence across the sector.
Our approach combines subject expertise with an understanding of railway operations. We recognise the pressures employers and training providers face when developing their workforce, coordinating assessment and maintaining the train plan.
We work with those involved to make assessment arrangements practical and well organised, while maintaining the independence and consistency that credible assessment requires.
Our purpose
Confidence in people. Confidence in assessment.
Our purpose is to help the railway sector develop and recognise a capable workforce through independent, consistent assessment.
For employers, this means reliable assessment decisions that support workforce development. For training providers, it means clear requirements and effective coordination. For apprentices and candidates, it means a professional assessment experience and a fair opportunity to demonstrate their abilities.
We approach this responsibility with a straightforward principle: competence must be demonstrated through evidence, assessed against clear requirements and supported by sound quality assurance.
What we do
Specialist assessment for railway careers
Rail apprenticeship assessment
We assess the knowledge, skills and behaviours required by the relevant apprenticeship standard and assessment plan.
We work with employers and training providers to coordinate assessment activity, clarify requirements and help apprentices understand the process ahead. Our role is to reach an independent judgement on the evidence presented, applying the required assessment and grading criteria consistently.
Train Driver Psychometric Testing
We deliver Train Driver Psychometric (TDLCR) Testing to support the assessment of candidates pursuing a safety-critical railway career.
Psychometric testing is a specialist part of the selection process. Our approach places emphasis on controlled delivery, clear candidate instructions and consistent administration, helping candidates understand what to expect while protecting the integrity of the assessment.
What we stand for
Values in every assessment
Industry Understanding
Assessment must reflect the realities of railway work. Our approach draws on operational understanding and recognises the responsibility carried by people working in safety-critical roles.
Qualified Assessors
Our assessors bring relevant professional experience and apply clear assessment criteria with consistency and impartiality, supported by training, standardisation and monitoring.
Responsive Delivery
Good assessment requires effective coordination. We establish practical arrangements and communicate requirements clearly, alongside operational commitments and train plan restrictions.
Our people
Assessors with railway experience
Our assessors bring practical experience from railway operations, engineering, driver management and training.
This experience helps them understand the context in which competence is demonstrated and the responsibilities associated with railway roles. Alongside that practical understanding, they are trained, standardised and monitored to apply consistent judgement.
We recognise that professional expertise and assessment expertise must work together. Knowing the railway is essential; applying assessment requirements fairly, recording evidence accurately and reaching defensible decisions are equally important.
How we work
Clear expectations at every stage
We aim to make the assessment journey straightforward to understand and carefully coordinated.
Before assessment, we work with the relevant parties to clarify requirements, delivery arrangements and responsibilities. During assessment, our focus is on professional conduct, consistent processes and the evidence required by the applicable standard.
Following assessment, clear outcomes and appropriate records support confidence in the grading decision. Throughout the process, we balance practical delivery with the rigour expected of a regulated awarding organisation.
Where we work
Nationwide delivery, coordinated around your operation
Railway Competence Group supports employers, training providers, apprentices and candidates across the United Kingdom.
Assessment can be delivered at our controlled testing centres, remotely or, where suitable, at an employer or training-provider location. The appropriate setting depends on the assessment requirements and the conditions needed for valid, reliable delivery.
We coordinate individual and cohort arrangements with an understanding of railway operations, helping organisations plan assessment alongside workforce availability and train plan commitments.
Regulation
An Ofqual-regulated awarding organisation
Railway Competence Group is regulated by Ofqual under recognition number RN6118. Ofqual regulation provides a framework of requirements for awarding organisations, supporting confidence in the quality and consistency of regulated assessments.
For us, this means maintaining a disciplined approach to assessment design, delivery, decision-making and certification, supported by documented processes and quality assurance.
- Clear assessment requirements and consistent application of standards
- Independent, evidence-based assessment decisions
- Quality assurance
- Continual review and improvement
“Confidence in assessment starts with independence, clear standards and decisions supported by evidence.”
Visit the Ofqual Register to view our organisation's entry. For information about the apprenticeship assessments and Train Driver Psychometric Testing we offer, speak with our team.
View our Ofqual Register entry →Careers
Work with us
We're always interested in hearing from experienced railway professionals who want to put their knowledge to work as assessors. Our assessors are trained, standardised and supported to deliver fair, consistent decisions.