Argh…sorry no (was wondering if someone would mention GMW). Had a number of students from that wing on my Sqn Cdr Course.
It’s one of those fantastic ideas on paper (it really is - I wanted to nick the idea & see if we could introduce it my wing) but not so much in reality.
After I started to ask a few questions it started to fall apart. I appreciate this is based on the enthusiastic descriptions of couple of fellow students so it may no longer be accurate.
The timescales I was told between a new CI joining and then being able to teach on squadron was 6-9mths (but this was okay as then it’s three months till they could go into uniform 🤦🏻).
There was an issue due to “high drop outs” that the final bits weren’t being signed off due to insufficient candidates to make the course viable result in a cascade failure (teams may have resolved this issue though).
There was also a struggle trying to post CIs to squadrons which needed more instructors after the volunteers had volunteered for a specific on. This induction was also applied to those CIs who just wanted to help with the admin.
Now it may be how my fellow students described it but it seems that new volunteers had to complete both the basic/AVIP & first class syllabus as separate training even the areas that were duplicated. It did come across as a big example of group think & how to dilute the diversity & individuality that your volunteers bring & a textbook case of making the volunteer work round the organisation and not how it should be of making the organisation work round the volunteer.
Now I agree with the principle that all CFAVs should have a basic induction that covers the organisation, MOI, first aid plus H&S & safeguarding. But the first class training can be learnt at unit in slow time & is not a “must have”.
Once you’ve taught someone MOI then most will go about researching their lesson before delivering effectively completing the topic anyway. At most a new starter would need the phase 1 topics - history of flight & principles of airmanship can wait till another day - map reading & IET can wait until the individual is comfortable in those activities.
I would really like to see the recruitment & retention of new staff statistics for all wings & the wider ATC.
Stats would be
- % new applicants who do not complete the application process
- % new applicants that leave within 12 months of starting
- % new applicants that leave with in 3years.
The quicker you can get the volunteer in and starting to build relationships with the other staff the better & the more likly they will stay. Anything that starts to delay that & you end up sabotaging your organisation.
4 Likes
I do think your info is wrong - the people on this course couldn’t be on a squadron anyway and as soon as they are officially allowed on the squadron they attend the squadron (they are not forced to stay away until they complete the course) - so what is happening is they are being engaged with the organisation months before they could be attending a squadron. And if they can’t stick attending and doing some training which makes them a better CI, at least that pressure has been taken off the OC and the organisation is more than likely better off without them. A Civilian INSTRUCTOR, indeed any instructor should not just be there to do admin, all should at least be able to teach at a basic level.
Yeah, that’s not the whole story.
They’re made to attend a certain venue - if they can’t make it, then they don’t do the training and don’t join - no matter how far away they live or their access to transport (in fairness, that was pre-covid, but the Wing is shockingly bad at using teams and has had 4 training officers in 3 years).
Efforts are routinely made to “steal” them from the unit they wanted to join and originally made contact with.
They definitely are told not to attend anything else until they’ve completed the training in full, and there has been a significant drop off in new members joining the organisation.
Civilian “instructor”, is a misnomer, they don’t only have to teach, they can do whatever they deem suitable to their experience and interest. Our Adj is a CI who rarely ventures outside the office.
The GM Wing theory is to be lauded. The reality of it is woeful.
2 Likes
And this is the exact quote, almost word for word that torpedo the idea for me.
I have an excellent adjutant who after 6 years as a CI is only just now getting involved in teaching. They are a critical member of staff & the Sqn would really suffer if they tomorrow. Under the GMW system they would have left before they started.
Volunteers are diverse & volunteer for different reasons - you have someone willing to help & lend their time. Some are shift workers, some are parents, some are zero hour contracts - you cannot & should not be treated as one size fits all.
The issue isn’t whether the volunteer can “stick the training” (& I would challenge the attitude that produces that mindset - it’s neither positive or constructive).
It’s that they need to be able to fit their volunteering alongside home family & work - if you cannot as a wing or organisation get your new entry volunteers up & active in three months then you have failed - your program of delivery needs to account for this so you need to have a training course each month which is very intensive on resources.
If we tried to introduce this In my wing we would have a full munity & rebellion (Sqn cdrs would go rogue against the wing & comply just with HQAC regulations).
Innovations are good & there is room for different philosophies but the main question is does it deliver?
If you are struggling to recruit & retain then the answer is no.
Now I appreciate that my information re GMW came from hearsay and it was a number of years or so now so things may have changed but my understanding that a CIs probation starts when their DBS clears and they can start attending face to face training. Then they aren’t confirmed until they complete their AVIP.
It sounds like CIs in GMW are not permitted to attend the Sqn until they complete their AVIP - so a lot later on in the process. One advantage as he of the online training is that new CIs can complete this whilst they wait for their DBS to clear.
Whilst this is a nice idea the CO is meant to have oversight & responsibility for training & developing staff including staff induction.
The CO is meant to have a little pressure & be able to manage the changes in staff. Otherwise the CO role becomes just a figurehead.
First class is designed to be taught by anyone with little prep - it’s not meant to be complex & adds no value of making compulsory as a subject to all new staff.
6 Likes