To review some of our recent articles, please click onto the appropriate links below, folder articles please visit our Archive


The Occupational Psychology Centre (OPC) has been working with rail clients both in the UK and overseas for many years to help identify the psychological profile of the safe and effective Train Driver.

Many of our rail clients have wanted to extend this research still further to help understand what makes the outstanding train driver (OTD). They want to use this intelligence to select the very best train drivers or help their existing train drivers to be the very best they can be. They believe this will have a positive impact on safety, productivity and business performance.  However in the first instance we must first understand the psychological profile of the OTD. Once that has been achieved then we can use the profile to help select and develop OTD’s. Read more...



Our online blog about the science behind the customer experience, is now also available on our website here.  Over the coming weeks and months we will be sharing our knowledge, experience and opinions on how psychology can help us all to deliver better customer service.



For over 19 years the OPC has been undertaking key research and consultancy into the personal characteristics of a safe and effective train driver. Over the years we have used these characteristics to help organisations in the UK and internationally to recruit train drivers who demonstrate these characteristics, and who are more likely to succeed in training, on the job and to have better safety records. We have also undertaken world leading research exploring the link between performance on assessment tools used at train driver selection on the one hand, and subsequent training, job & safety performance on the other hand. Read more...



We have designed some practice tests that are available online for anyone to try. At present there is only a generic Verbal Practice Test (VPT) accessible, but we will hopefully have all of the following up soon:  

• Fault Finding Practice Test (FFPT)
• Numerical Practice Test (NPT)
• Verbal Practice Test (VPT)

To learn more about these tests please follow this link.



It is common practice for those in safety critical roles to undertake a period of training prior to entering the job.  Similarly many safety critical job incumbents are required to complete on-going or refresher training once in the safety critical role.  OPC Assessments’ off-the-shelf ability test ‘Trainability for Safety Test’ (TRFS) is designed to identify those who are likely to be successful during safety critical training.

Two new norm groups are now available for your use with the TRFS:

• Norm 8: Bus driver
• Norm 9: Security officer for an international airport

These compliment and build on the existing norm groups, providing you with a variety of safety critical norm groups to compare your applicants to.  This means you can select the norm group that is most appropriate to your needs.  If you would like to know more please contact us



For older articles please visit our Archive

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