If you have the average Cadet a choice I doubt they would care, there would of course be exceptions.
How many of our staff really know how to deliver these lessons to a high standard and in an engaging way?
So link up with NNAS, adopt that modern syllabus for Navigation training, make it a badge. Put the PoF stuff and the few bits of Airmanship II into the blue and bronze aviation badges.
Darned good idea that
I’ve found I only have the time to develop and maintain my knowledge in 3 and they are the ones that I have an interest in or relate vaguely to what I do at work.
So the cadets by default have to self study the rest unless we team up with another unit.
We choose the classification subjects for senior/master based on what our instructors can teach, we don’t give the cadets a choice. Not sure if that is how it is meant to be done, but it is the only way we can get it to work.
Thing is as I’ve experienced NNAS it’s not that engaging for the cadets & is almost a pre-DofE map reading training.
The map reading syllabus at leading supports the other areas & can be classroom based & doesn’t require too much knowledge & isn’t too complicated. I also I think the cadets do kinda enjoy that semi-structure of classroom to start with (it’s familiar & comforting) but then grow out if it as they get more experienced.
Any staff member should be able teach at first class or leading without too much extra info.
The more specialist advanced topics get too long & complicated to deliver effectively and that’s where we start to loose the cadets.
Hopefully that is something that will change with Learn, as it can combine self study with external content and instructor-led sessions.
It’s interesting but the bit where we loose cadets on the classifications is if it’s self study as they don’t feel engaged & feel left on their own with no support. I’ve tried to ban self study on a Sqn night where practical (cadets can study off Sqn if they wish).
As cadets get older the school pressures increase in terms of topics & subject complexity We mirror that in cadet world rather than perhaps reducing the academic mandatory topics. It’s why you do get 16 year old badge collecting cadets as they are desperate to do activities away from the academics. We all most need to start aligning our cadet training on a par with school years…
How many are getting the Blue /Bronze badges…
Last I heard there was eight physical badges for the region…hopefully they’ve got more since then.
How necessary or interesting is the PoF and Airmanship Ii stuff to Cadets who aren’t? It’s almost like “you aren’t gonna fly, but here’s what you could’ve won”
Edited to add, it could be taught on unit as part of the synthetic training before they go to AEF/VGS.
Giving Cadets a choice of 3 out of 6 doesn’t work…as the actual “choice” is made by the training officer based on instructors for topics.
We have a PPL on our CFAV team so covet Air and pilot nav but I’m sure other Squadrons “choose” not to deliver them based on Staff ability
Interestingly we found air & pilot nav two of the topic that are easy for staff to learn & then teach. They are also the topics helpful towards gliding & pilot scholarships as well as being about 6-8 lessons long. Air frames & advanced radio & radio are never taught as they are high level complex & about 12-15 lessons long. Rocketry did once & was dull. Data Comms never materialised as a topic.
One thing that would really help is of the optional modules were designed to take the same number of lessons. Easier to plan training that way.
A bit late to the party on the forum however been saying it for a while i personally think its a dreadful look. Far too many badges that need to be replaced, if you look at most there is at least a bronze, Silver and Gold with “blue” in some aspects. It would be great to know the processing costs. Our Wing Cyber officer sends out the badge to the Squadron by post usually by the time bronze has been received the cadet has passed silver.
I would personally keep the Lanyards as they mark out instructors, i would also keep the wings as this is essentially what we are about.
I would replace the Sqn number badge for a small pin badge, with a blank rank slide or if needed (keep the sqn badge and sew it on). When a rank is earnt the badge is attached to the rank slide etc. We dont need the Air Training Corps badge as they are displayed on the beret. This way the Brassards and all associated badges could be removed. The cadet has cadet portal as a record of achievement, certificates could be printed from there as needed.
I’ve gotta say though, especially when I was a baby cadet, having that physical badge that people could see felt like an achievement. I could look at NCOs brassards and see what they’ve done to see what I could do. I’m still proud of them now.
I know the point of things isn’t to have that little bit of cloth, but it definitely motivates the new cadets when they see their brassards looking more and more like the senior lot.
A big plus of having a brassard is to distinguish cadets from regular/reserve personnel. The beret badge is to small to read off, and the general public won’t be able to differentiate an ATC cap badge from any other armed forces cap badge. The brassard also gives a more ‘scouts’ vibe to cadets, also making it seem more ‘youthy’. The sqn number pin, I couldn’t see working, there got rid of the ATC pins that staff used to wear on rank slides, and I guess they might be more expensive than a cloth badge. Idk about that bit.
Potentially controversial opinion but looking at photos of Cadet’s brassards now makes me sad - They are so dull/bland in colour. I much prefer the multi-coloured, skittles-tinged badges back when I was in the ATC.
Brassards actually had some colour to them rather than a dull blue/silver on the most part nowadays. #BringBackMilleniumVolunteerBadge
which if i remember was a gold on dark (blue/black) background - and that is different to what we have now how exactly??
the only real “colour” to the brassards were the first aid badges which were either green or red depending on the level attained, everything else was a in keeping “on brand” shade of blue with the exception of Nijmegen and the music badges
This was to show how far back I am thinking regarding badges. 
Marksman badges had some black, silver/grey/red with the crown. Comms badge was blue (as it is currently used). Even the Master Cadet badge is more dull now compared to the one I got. All badges now are wholly blue, bronze, silver or gold/yellow.
There’s staying on brand and then there’s having boring designs.
I think you are clutching at straws to suggest the marksman badges had colour.
From 4 paces away no one would be able to tell the additional colours.
I am struggling to understand your point as all badges in all my years (and yes I was awarded an MV badge) have been broadly the same muted blue colours with the exceptions of the FA badges I mentioned, Nijmegan, band badges and what was the Air Cadet Leadership badge, not that I recall seeing one in person