ATOC launches new training qualification:
Certificate Of Rail Agent Competency - CORAC
To register for exams and download the study guides, please go to www.atoctravelagents.org/extranet/training (username and password required).
How did CORAC come about?
CORAC is ATOC’s new and innovative online qualification. It replaces our previous qualification, Quality of Service Certificate (QSC).
QSC was a 2 day classroom style training course concentrating on geography, fares construction from the paper National Fares Manuals (NFMs), reading timetables, and Ticket Issuing Systems (TIS) training.
The training courses were outsourced to a training partner who held courses mainly in the South of England meaning agency staff had to travel, often long distances, to attend the courses. This would involve overnight stays in hotels, personal expenses, travel expenses, and of course the cost of covering team members whilst away from the office. Courses often did not go ahead due to agents cancelling which would make each training session unviable.
This, and the move to intuitive, self procured, web-based TIS by travel agents/ Travel Management Companies (TMCs) gave us the opportunity to review training that was offered and it also changed the emphasis on training, making product training a key element.
What is CORAC?
In developing CORAC, ATOC has taken a completely new approach to training. We have moved away from traditional classroom style training in favour of a self-study approach with exams taken online within agents’ own offices. This innovative approach has many benefits , not least in terms of cost savings to agencies and TMCs, and there will be no loss in productivity as candidates won’t need any time out of the office. Moving the exams online makes the training accessible to all and can be incorporated within indivduals’ one-to-one’s.
CORAC consists of 3 exams - 1 National Rail exam, and 2 Train Operating Company (TOC) exams from a choice of 5 participating TOCs.
Qualification is a licensing requirement and so each office must obtain a minimum of 2 team members, or 20% of the office whichever the greater, holding the new CORAC qualification.
Study Guides
To aid candidates with their self-study research there are study guides available for the National Rail and TOC exams. These are downloaded from the exams module on the ATOC travel agents website in PDF format. The study guides cover all areas of the Test Specifications and contain weblinks directly to TOC websites where candidates may wish to concentrate their studies. It is recommended that the study guides are viewed online, rather than printed, so candidates can simply click through to the links.
National Rail Exam
This is a one hour, timed exam, consisting of 44 randomly drawn multiple choice questions. Each exam is generated only when the candidate is ready to sit the exam, and is drawn from a large question bank, making each exam truly individual.
The areas in which candidates will be tested are called the Test Specifications which consist of:
• The scope, dimensions, and geography of the rail network
• Definitions of terminology, role bodies
• Explain the relationship between travel agents/ TMCs an d National Rail
• Identify how rail travel meets the needs of different travellers
• Identify examples of National Rail and TOC specific products
• Explain the conditions of use for a range of National Rail and Advance products
• Describe how to determine customer booking requirements
• Identify sources of information
• Identify methods of fulfilment
• Describe the principles of refund calculation and demonstrate an awareness of National Rail Conditions of Carriage (NRCoC)
TOC Exams
Candidates must choose 2 TOC exams from a choice of 5. Participating TOCs are:
• East Midlands Trains
• East Coast
• First Great Western
• First ScotRail
• Virgin Trains
Each exam is a 30 minute timed exam consisting of 20 randomly drawn multiple choice questions. As with the National Rail exam, each exam is generated randomly from a large
question bank at the time the candidate elects to sit the exam.
The knowledge base included in the TOC Test Specifiation is:
• Identify different ticket types offered by the TOCs
• Identify availability of products
• Identify routeings
• Identify booking deadlines
• Identify fare rules
• Identify principal stations
• Identify the routes for individual TOCs
• Identify station facilities
• Explain the services to passengers, and travel agents/ TMCs by TOCs
Pass Mark
In order to successfully gain the qualification, candidates must achieve a mark of at least 85% in all exams.
At the end of each exam, candidates will be notified immediately whether or not they have passed. Their Score Card will give a breakdown of the Test Specification with a success rate indicated for each element of the specification. Together with a list of any questions answered incorrectly, candidates will be able to see where they will need to concentrate their studies if they were unsuccessful in the exam and require a re-sit.
Candidates are able to re-sit any exam in which they were unsuccessful however, they will need to pay for each re-sit.
Successful candidates will be able to immediately download their certificate which is in PDF
format so this can easily be saved to their PCs or printed for their records.
How is CORAC accessed?
The exams module is contained within the private (Extranet) pages of ATOC’s travel agent website. Agents will need to create a user account in order to gain access to these pages and register for the exams. Click here to register for exams (username and password required).
Once registered, agents will have up to 3 months to study and complete all necessary exams. Once registration has expired and agents haven’t completed all exams, they will need to re-register and pay again. Any completed exams at that point become void.
Current holders of the QSC will only need to take the 2 TOC exams. Entering a valid QSC number, found on their certificate, will exempt them from the National Rail exam. This recognises their efforts in passing our previous qualification. There is also the obvious cost savings benefit in only needing to pay for the 2 TOC exams.
How much does CORAC cost?
Moving away from traditional classroom style training to online testing has obvious cost savings to travel agents/TMCs. Agencies will no longer have team members out of the office for extended periods or have the expense of hotel stays, which means there is no loss of productivity.
The cost for all 3 exams will be £99.00, plus VAT, representing huge savings against the cost of the previous QSC courses.
Current QSC holders will benefit by only needing to sit the 2 TOC exams and therefore the cost to those candidates will be £66.00, plus VAT.
Rewarding Success
At a later stage we hope to be able to offer successful candidates the opportunity to apply for a complimentary National Railcard. Those who have successfully gained the qualification will be able to apply for either a 16-25 or Friends & Family Railcard as a reward for their efforts in passing all necessary exams and also to promote and encourage agents to use trains for their personal journeys, experiencing rail travel first hand.
Talks are continuing with the Railcard team so look out for updates on this exciting opportunity.
When will CORAC be available ?
CORAC was launched on 6th april 2010 and is available on this website. Click here to register for exams (username and password required).
