Welcome to the Independent Training & Testing Company

The Independent Training & Testing Company (ITTCo) was formed in 2018 and operating in Cardiff as a training centre since. Offering a variety of courses and exams with a focus on individuals wanting to operate in the local area as Private Hire/Taxi Drivers.

As such, we have established a great local presence with councils and businesses in the surrounding areas.

Our professional services have allowed us to join forces with the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) as one of their limited exam offerings in Wales. As we have grown year on year, we’ve reached into other industries and have now established working arrangements with Pearson Vue and the CITB.

Pearson Vue offer thousands of different exams through a variety of companies across a multitude of industries including IT, Finance and Legal.

With a booming local construction trade, we’re also delighted to partner with the Construction Industry Trading Board (CITB), offering candidates with a new local facility to take the relevant courses that allow them to attend construction sites. We're also able to offer candidates a place to take exams to pass or renew their CSCS cards. Based in Pentwyn (Cardiff), just minutes away from Junction 30 on the M4 and serving several major bus routes, we’re in a position to offer candidates a professional, seamless training or testing experience and provide free onsite parking, local to several supermarkets and can cater basic snacks along with hot and cold drinks on site.

To arrange training or to understand when the next available course is, please call 02920 549747. To arrange a test or renewal, call 02920 025030 or 07787 517267 (or click the link below)

Who are they?
The CITB are dedicated to ensuring the construction workforce has the right skills for now and in the future. Advocating for the construction industry, the CITB works on behalf of them to influence government policy. With Health & Safety at the forefront of their minds, the CITB's role is to be the leading training board for the construction industry as a partner in the Sector Skills Council.
Book CITB Test Cardiff

Who are they?
The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) have two main roles: accreditation and awarding qualifications. Although they're the national accreditation and awarding body for Scotland, they engage learners, schools, colleges and training providers across the rest of the UK and internationally.

Who are they?
Pearson Vue are an established, globally recognised provider of high-stakes exams that help industries and individuals make an impact on their professions, communities and lives of others.

Who are they?
Street Works UK has an established record of working constructively with Ministers, civil servants, policymakers, parliamentarians, business and campaign bodies in supporting the development of street and road work policies that deliver the required objective but are also fair, proportionate and achievable, without placing unnecessary burdens on utilities and their customers.

ITTCo are proud to be an established and reputable training and testing provider in Cardiff and having affiliations with those companies listed above is testament to how far we have come as a business since 2018. Our aim is to continue to work with these providers to offer more and more oportunity to candidates in Cardiff and surrouding areas for many years to come.

Taxi Course? More detail

Taxi Training

As per the opening page, we initially set up as taxi training provider known as the Independent Taxi Training Company (ITTCo) Ltd, allowing candidates to take the course and obtain the relevant qualifications required by local councils before they could then choose who they wanted to work for. We still offer this course and facility for testing. Further information on the course and qualification is below.

Course Overview

The SQA Level 2 Certificate in Introduction to the Role of the Professional Taxi and Private Hire Driver is designed to develop the knowledge of prospective or existing drivers. The course is carried out over 3 days (typically Monday-Wednesday) with a specifically designed practical unit which raises awareness of the differing types of disabilities your passengers may present. We focus on ensuring that your service (once qualified) is accessible to all.

Testing Overview

The course is made up of 9 units which covers all you'll need to know from Health & Safety, disability awareness, safely transporting passengers (including schoolchildren) through to fare administration. Once each unit has been taught, candidates will sit mock exams to establish whether additional training needs are required.

On the Wednesday afternoon of the course, candidates will sit exams for units 1-4, with units 5-9 will being sat on the Thursday.

Due to our unique delivery method and expertise, we anticipate that minimal candidates will be required to resit any exams, but where necessary, these can be booked in around candidates busy lifestyles. Typically, we keep the Friday blank for any resits.

Other Services

Whilst we've established and built on our relationship with the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) to offer the Taxi Training course since inception, in 2022 we established new relationships with Pearson Vue and the CITB. This allowed ITTCo to become an official testing centre for both companies. Therefore, we have now changed our company name to the Independent Training & Testing Company (ITTCo) Ltd to maintain our brand name, whilst we have taken the opportunity to rebrand our company.

We now provide facilities for candidates to take exams in our fully authorised and approved test centre under strict guidlelines and monitoring - providing candidates with the flexibility of carrying out tests in one of only two approved centres in Cardiff. We provide free parking on site, lockers and fully heated or air conditioned facilities. Candidates can also purchase drinks and snacks on site and we're only a short walk from local supermarkets (Lidl and Waitrose).

Further Information

To elaborate on some of the services we offer, over and above the Taxi Training alluded to above, please find an overview and further detail below:


    CSCS Card - There are various types of CSCS card that candidates can examine for. From the Green Card (Labourer) and Blue Card (Skilled Worker) through to White Card (Accademically Qualified Person). We offer the facilites for candidates to sit these exams in a well run testing centre.
    Course Exams - As well as the CSCS card, we also offer the ability for candidates to sit exams that are run by Pearson Vue. Pearson have established themselves as a front-runner amongst awarding bodies and have established a base in Cardiff with ITTCo for candidates to take their exams.

ITTCo operates an authorised Pearson Vue test centre allowing candidates to take exams on a daily basis. Being one of only a handful of test centres in South Wales, we provide an quality and professional setting for your Pearson Vue test. Exams are booked via the Pearson Vue website, although the awarding body may be an alternative e.g. Microsoft or CITB.

We are proud to be an approved provider of the Health & Safety test for the CITB, allowing candidates to maintain their obligations and continue working in the construction industry, ensuring they have the knowledge to meet their responsibilities to keeping themselves and their colleagues safe. We provide tests for all types of construction worker, from Labourer through to supervisory and beyond to professionally qualified.

Our Team


ITTCo is run by Steven Russell who has been in the Taxi trade for many years, hence our expertise being in the offering of Taxi & Private hire training, inclusive of local knowledge (route) training. Steve has established and grown the centre, moving locations in 2020 to enable diversitifaction and is supported by Dave & Chris, as well as a number of other "back office" team members. A little bit about the front of house team below.

Steven Russell

Managing Director

With almost 20 years in the trade, I am passionate about the training and development of drivers. Being a taxi driver is a fantastic career opportunity and getting that message out there is key for us at ITTCo.

David Rogers

Trainer

Over the last 7 years, I have taken up a role as a tutor/trainer and offered training in Taxi and Private Hire industry, working with both Pearson & SQA awarding bodies.

Chris Jones

Trainer

Engaging and developing delegates through our programme is one of my biggest motivators. My role is to ensure that our delegates are equipped to successfully complete the qualification.

Contact Us

Contact us via the below details to get started.

Location:

Abacus House, Caxton Place, Cardiff, CF23 8HA

Call:

07787 517267
02920 025030