What training should we do on a regular basis?

Seeing the post about the MH appointment and some of the comments about the chances of some more training that will require annual/bi-annual/tri-annual renewal…

What do people think we should be doing on a regular basis and what should be altered in renewal or removed all together?

I’ll start the ball rolling with Climatic Injuries should be a one off input not yearly.

1 Like

Shall we start by looking at ACTO 99 and not trying to re-invent the wheel?

Climatic injuries could be lumped on to heartstart/yfa… got a first aid qual you’ve also got climatic injuries. Easy, nobody would even notice they’ve completed the requirements!

6 Likes

I’m aware there is a list of what we SHOULD do at the moment but ignore that and start again. What do YOU THINK we should be doing or how could we alter that list?

Flying.
Gliding.

Barack_Obama_drops_the_mic

18 Likes

I don’t really have any issue with what’s on the list per-se. I think the vast majority of the things that have to be done every 1/2/3 years are appropriate and proportional to what we do. However, the way in which a lot of them are done is the issue for me. I’m looking at Ultilearn here.
So to go through the list of things required to be refreshed:

  • DBS - Can’t not have it.
  • SC - It’s every 10 years so isn’t a real inconvenience.
  • Safeguarding Awareness - I think every three years is perfectly fair. And the new online course for this was actually really well written too. Only issue was how slow it was to work through if you are a quick reader!
  • Security Advice Brief - Not convened this needs to be every two years, however it is stated that a new course with new content will be released near the end of 2021 (good luck with that). This is the kind of thing that can/should be done once but people need to pay attention to security announcements for updated information.
  • Responsible for information training - Pretty sure this is basically a legal requirement now because of GDPR.
  • HSEPC - I’ve never been a fan of the H&S briefings/trainings that go on in this organisation. Everything is all ways completely overkill or just damn dangerous. I understand why this is required every two years though having seen the lack of common sense some people have.
  • Fire Training - I’ve somehow not actually done this yet, so can’t comment on the course. I don’t understand why this can’t be part of HS&E though? I certainly don’t think this needs to be an annual thing.
  • Climatic Injuries - This is a massive announce of mine. The supplied DVDs that we are told to use/what most people use are useless for the task at hand. I much prefer doing some proper example based climatic injuries training, certainly as part of IET. The whole thing has become a massive joke of the organisation as no one takes it seriously. Everyone being constantly required to have it, yet you turn up to an event and see other staff members making cadets stand out in the cold rather than finding a solution to getting them into the warm. Really really really annoys me.
  • First Aid Training - I actually thing this is a massive benefit to the staff member to be able to go and get a free 18 hour FA cert though cadets. I do get that some don’t have the time for that, so am glad that heartstart is considered good enough for the minimum requirement. No issue with this one at all!
2 Likes

Meanwhile in Scotland…

PVG works on a “push” basis - once registered, The Fuzz send anything relevant to HQAC. No need to re-register, and it doesn’t expire…

Except that HQAC require that we re-register every 5 years still, for some reason.

1 Like

I’d like to see all uniformed staff - and as many CI’s who are interested - take part in Wing/Regional training weekends every year: the medium would be AT, under the guidance/marking of the Wings ML’s - the purpose of the weekends is not about teaching staff AT, it’s about seeing how staff approach planning and execution of AT/MFT and determining which staff/Sqns can be allowed to just get on with organising and carrying out their own (within parameters) outdoor activities without the need for continual/sustained WHQ/RHQ oversight.

The approvals system acts as a firebreak - it aims to stop fires (bad ideas and poor planning) going further than the Sqn front door. What it doesn’t do is train Sqn staff in having good ideas and undertaking good planning in the first place.

I’d like to see a system where WHQ’s annually sign off Sqns to carry out X type training in A, B, and C locations under Y and Z circumstances, and within that the Sqn can do whatever it’s signed off for as many times as it likes.

That would, imv, be pretty transformational in terms of the cadet experience.

2 Likes

What happens if a Sqn can’t make said weekend… maybe because that weekend they are already planned off and away doing AT?
Does that mean for the next year that sqn cant do AT without wing interference?
The irony.

I like the idea. I’ve never had a Wing staff member check on one of my activities and it would be a good step. I’d be uncomfortable using a whole weekend every year, because that would be a loss for cadets, but perhaps some form of assessment during a Wing DofE exped or a sector exped skills training day?

Perhaps a WHQ might run a number of such training/certification weekends throughout the year,not least because of assessing 100+ people at one time is quite difficult?

Perhaps a unit that was busy on a particular weekend could go on an adjoining WHQ’s weekends?

For someone who moans incessantly about how ossified thinking is within the CoC…

Lol,
You said a weekend…

A bigger point is AT is only a percentage of what we do.
If we were to commit to this, how would wings staff…

Boards
Aviation training days
Nco training

Etc etc.

I like the idea, in the sense that it puts the effort on to wing.
But unless the wing staff are willing or capable…

I admit, it seems most other wings by chat on here are heavenly.
Sadly mine is not.

Unfortunately our current AFA qual can’t be used outside Cadets. It’s even written on the certificate.
In another volunteering role, they run the courses and there is an option to register for EFAW, for a tenner. Saves having to take a day off work to do a workplace qual. Maybe we could do something similar. I would happily sign up for a Cadet run course if it gave me FAAW, as those are £300-400 done privately eg through St Johns in my neck of the woods.

2 Likes

Isnt that a key role of the wing AT Officer?

A key role of any WSO. I’ve supported Wing activities when a WSO or 2 have been there, but don’t think I can remember a WSO attending something that I’ve organised (low level AT mainly). Maybe I’ve been around long enough that they think I’m a low enough risk.

Eh? It’s just an 18hr qual specifically for the cadet forces rather than the 12hr standard St John one. Why would you not be able to use it outside?

1 Like

my current one is a standard branded St John AFA certificate, nothing on it is RAFAC specific… sounds like you have a local issue

3 Likes

as I understood it, the suggestion wasn’t to get signed off on AT, but just to take many staff out of their comfort zone to teach them how to make decisions in situations they’re not used to. AT is a useful channel to be able to do that

Don’t bother.

Carry out a paper sift. Anyone can pass a board & anyone can screw up on a board due to nerves.

If they’re crap once appointed, give them extra training.

2 Likes

I believe that people who argue for in-person interviews would say that that’s the point.