“At South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority we are continually looking at ways to develop programmes that directly answer the skills requirements of our region.

“Having seen successes with similar programmes in other regions and listening to the needs of public transport companies across South Yorkshire, the introduction of this programme being delivered by Realise will plug current and future skills gaps in bus and coach driver recruitment.

“As an addition to the Passenger Carrying Vehicle certification, candidates will also be offered a six-month programme of development to ensure career success that will be delivered by the bus and coach operators to promote retention and career progression across the sector.”

The first training sessions are due to begin in April with successful learners embarking on a three-stage process before securing a guaranteed job interview.

More than 200 people will be given access to an innovative myth-busting course to gain insight into a bus driver’s day, delivered over five or six sessions, with the option of weekend or evening tuition to allow people the opportunity to access the bus driving industry from other careers, including retail or hospitality.

Learners completing stage one will then either be guaranteed a job interview with a large operator or pursue a job with a smaller operator, with Realise overseeing the delivery of the Passenger Carrying Vehicle licence training.

All learners who have completed Route to Success will also benefit from a retention and engagement plan to help ensure they enjoy a long-term career in the industry, and attend networking events to keep in touch with fellow learners and gain valuable industry insights.

Anyone completing the course can expect to secure a Passenger Carrying Vehicle Licence (PCV) within three months of starting the programme and will be guaranteed an interview with a local bus provider.