That aviation link is itself stretched or diminished.
Not counting the much larger RAF estate we once had, we also had multiple aviation companies in and around the UK. Those must have supplied a good number of CFAV in the past (Hawker and Vickers in Surrey, De Havilland in Herts, Supermarine in Hants, Westland and Gloster out Bristol way - those are just in the South and just the airframers).
Low cost airlines, useful as they are, don’t have the same interest.
Are we moving away from ‘air’ cadets to ‘RAF’ cadets? That isn’t necessarily a bad thing and if we are then space (and cyber) should be part of that, but we also need to keep the AT, military skills, ceremonial and even music and sports going too.
If so, we need to up the cyber game. For an “Air, Space and Cyber” organisation, we’ve only just got a vaguely suitable space syllabus and the Cyber syllabus (bar the Gold course and CyberFirst course options) is woefully out of date and just not fit for purpose. I know this is one of the things that is supposedly being looked at under reprofiling but I really hope we can do better on this.
So despite launching the new Space Syllabus at RIAT, and advertising on our website that cadets will be able to apply to complete the Pearsons Level 2 Certificate in Space Studies from September . . . just noticed this comment on the Space page of the Cadet Training Resources Portal
So
A) we’ve not released the training material yet, and don’t plan to until October
B) we’ve run Train-the-Trainer sessions (anyone heard of any happening?)
I attended a Blue and Bronze train the trainer for Space Last Autumn, but I was under the impression the course content may be changing with the BTEC so that might not even be valid.
Just been back and had a look at past email. Seen one for “LEAD SPACE INSTRUCTORS’ COURSE”. This was in Aug 2022… And 2 places per region. I’ve forwarded it to you for reference.
But that’s all I’ve seen. Can’t find anything about a train the trainer.
Seen, but as you say, that was in 2022 and related to the old syllabus.
(I’ve also no idea how to find out who my “Region Lead Space Instructors” are other than asking around)
Interesting so what happens for example scotland cadets can they apply to do this bare in mind we dont have b-techs on scotland ,its known as SQA here. Also i take it this is seperate to doing the blue/bronze and silver space course?
The way I read the website, the Blue Bronze and Silver “Units” are separate but required to be completed to undertake the BTEC.
On completion of the syllabus, you will be invited to join the formal BTEC program, during which you will be required to complete a portfolio of questions.
And as for the question about SQA, not a clue, we have no other information than that website.
I previously mentioned my train the trainer course and how I had heard rumours the new one for the BTEC would be different. Unfortunately it looks like that’s confirmed here. The Blue award is entirely different from what I have been teaching in Blue Space so far.
The First two portions of Bronze space I’ve been teaching in Blue. The moon part of Blue is within Bronze currently. The rest of Bronze is new to me so I don’t think any other parts are applicable to the old course. So anyone who did have a train the trainer previously isn’t going to be qualified for the new one, and cadets are probably going to have to redo it too.
