TAP® takes flight for Aviation Training
Aviation Training International Limited (ATIL) delivers a Training Service for the Apache Attack Helicopter to the British Army as a Public Finance Initiative. The organisation trains Aircrew, Ground crew and Maintenance Technicians using a combination of Instructor led training and advanced synthetic devices such as Full Mission Simulators and Part Task Trainers. At the outset ATIL employed instructors originally trained by the UK Armed Services. However it soon became clear to Mike Crabbe, the Maintenance Training manager, that the teaching techniques the instructors required and the assessment strategy in use did not give his instructors the best skill-base for the training tools procured for this project.
Soon after the first ATIL courses were delivered in April 2002 Mike and his two Senior Instructors enrolled on the Delivery Skills Refresher course at The Training Foundation in order to assess its suitability.
It became evident from this experience that the techniques and skills taught as part of the TAP® methodology would be of benefit to current ATIL instructors and would provide a good basis for training future instructors. As a result the decision was taken to invest in training skills development and certification for the whole team.
By the end of 2004 all ATIL instructors will have completed either Training Delivery Skills or Delivery Skills Refresher courses leading to the award of the TAP® Certificate in Training Delivery Skills.
It became obvious that the instructor assessment strategy would need to be overhauled as soon as all the instructors were qualified to the TAP® standard. Both of the Senior Instructors are now qualified as TAP® Assessors after successfully completing the Assessing Training Delivery Skills course.
After ATIL instructors are awarded the TAP® Certificate they are then re-assessed on a regular basis to ensure that they continue to benefit from the development of their teaching skills.
Mike Crabbe has commented on the excellent support he has received from The Training Foundation as he has developed this programme. “What I really like about working with the team at The Training Foundation is their professional approach. Their tutors practice what they preach and are supportive and helpful in my aim to develop my instructors’ skills and techniques.”
“A number of the instructors aspire to develop their formal teaching qualifications and we are keen to support this initiative. A natural extension of our relationship with The Training Foundation is to offer instructors the opportunity to progress through the full TAP® Diploma in Learning Facilitation Skills programme. Two instructors are already studying for this qualification.
“We are now contemplating offering selected individuals the opportunity to study courses on media selection and training management, all of which can be provided by The Training Foundation”