S&PAProfessional / Winter 2018-19
S&PANews A round-up of the latest developments in the industry
By DeeDee Doke The Royal Air Force School of Physical Training (SofPT) has joined CIMSPA as both Employer Partner and Skills Development Partner, and aligned its physical training to CIMSPA professional standards. RAF Physical Training Instructors (PTIs) who complete their specialist training course will be immediately job-ready for a second career when they later leave the military for civilian life. The SofPT delivers a 28-week training course to qualify selected RAF recruits as PTIs. The course covers class instructional techniques across a range of physical domains and human performance, the effects of exercise on the body, leadership, coaching, sports administration and officiating. The Personal Trainer, Gym Instructor and Core Group Exercise Instructor elements of the PTI course are now
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RAF AND CIMSPA JOIN FORCES ON PHYSICAL TRAINING STANDARDS aligned to CIMSPA professional standards. RAF Flight Sgt Ronan Archbold of the school told S&PA Professional that the move to align with CIMSPA was linked to “a massive air force initiative to applying apprentice schemes to all of our training”. “As a result, at SofPT, we’re following suit,” Archbold said. CIMSPA was identified as preferred provider of such training, and “we made contact 12 months ago”. Only 30 airmen undergo the SofPT’s specialist training every year after being heavily vetted for physical and mental capability and demonstrating the standards of a Junior Non-Commissioned Officer (JNCO), as they graduate from their course at three ranks higher than their fellow airmen peers. The roles they fill after graduating include aircrew conditioning, delivering Survive, Evade, Resist & Extract training, parachute training and exercise and
rehabilitation instruction. “We’re very selective,” Archbold said. The first cohort of airmen armed with CIMSPA endorsements graduated on 5 November at RAF Cosford, West Midlands. However, CIMSPA and SofPT have had enquiries from previous graduates who would like the endorsements as well. CIMSPA’s education and apprenticeships officer Natasha Eason said: “Ex-servicemen who have completed the RAF PT course can apply for membership through the normal channels and will be accepted via approval of their qualification certificate.” Asked if aligning the training and qualifications between the civilian and military organisations
required significant adjustments for the RAF, Archbold said no. “It probably complements what we provide,” he added. CIMSPA CEO Tara Dillon said of the new partnership with the RAF: “It’s testament to how the School of Physical Training have the long-term career interests of their personnel at heart with how they pro-actively approached CIMSPA to benchmark their course against the sector’s professional standards. This is a perfect example of the long-term career pathways the employer-led CIMSPA professional standards project is putting in place.” Discussions are underway between CIMSPA and the Army and Navy about similar alignments of qualifications and standards.
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