Training Delivery Review

In late 2008, a review of our delivery of operational training was undertaken to identify what we were currently doing well and how we could improve.

It was hoped to have the Report presented to the Board in February 2009 but the events of Black Saturday and the changeover of CEO delayed the process. The Training Delivery – Report of Findings was provided to Board Members in late October 2009 and this article provides you with a high level summary of key findings.

The review was based on interviews with more than 300 CFA members conducted over six months.

The review has come up with separate findings for volunteers, career firefighters, instructors and training managers with a focus on access, materials, delivery, availability, scheduling and format. Questions ranged from the frequency of skills evaluation and the clarity of the language used in training through to access to learning materials and the quality of both brigade and Area training.

The broad scope of the review gave members the chance to raise issues such as theoretical versus practical training and assessment,   leadership and management training opportunities, skills maintenance and the incorporation of ‘lessons learned’ in training packages.

“The review was designed to guide CFA’s thinking on ways to improve the delivery of training by identifying the key issues which need to be addressed,” says Learning and Development’s Acting Executive Manager James Stitz.

“It looked at the nature and style of training service delivery options utilised in CFA and to what extent training responded to both operational needs and member expectation. 

“The report highlighted that CFA has some excellent programs in place and an experienced network of training staff and volunteers to support service delivery,” says James.

“Overall the training system isn’t broken. It doesn’t need a complete overhaul but there’s room for improvement. Any changes will be introduced in stages and some of them will certainly have organisational and funding implications.”

The review proposes is gradually phasing in changes according to their level of priority and the availability of resources.

Some of those priority recommendations include:

• improving the scheduling of training so it has less impact on volunteers
• more time spent on practical training and assessment than theory
• giving volunteers the opportunity to complete the theory components via distance learning and
• the creation of a skills maintenance drills manual to help brigade captains and training officers develop scenarios and tools so skills can be measured and refreshed.