Improving PCA standards by improving training skills.

It’s one thing knowing all about dampness, timber decay and structural waterproofing but the big question is….. How do you teach these skills to others and how do you teach them well? The PCA have a proven track record in delivering great quality training. Such is the depth of knowledge and the sheer enthusiasm of the PCA team and the various members who deliver courses, that student feedback is usually excellent.

The Property Care Association get to grips with Train the trainer

However, there’s always room for improvement though, so PCA CEO Stephen Hodgson joined a few fellow PCA members for a two day ‘Train the Trainer’ course in Hull last week. I was lucky enough to be asked to attend also and here are the details.

The object was to gain useful additional skills in helping PCA and members to identify, plan, organise and deliver better quality face-to-face training.

Our group attended Crownship Development’s training center under the skilful tutelage of Peter Pearson. Peter is a vastly experienced trainer with many years of training staff, ranging from shop-floor workers through to top management. His role here was to help us as preservation specialists, to get our knowledge and skills over to delegates, in the best possible way, so they get maximum benefit from their time with us.

I spend time training my own staff and mentoring others so I was delighted to get the chance to be tutored on how to improve understanding and retention of knowledge. Steve Hodgson, Michael Earle, David Cook (PCA board member) and Matthew Tucney deliver training too, so it was a good mix of backgrounds, which made an excellent group. Whilst formal training is the main focus, I wanted to touch on my own shorter sessions too, which often take the form of hour long CPD presentations (Continuing professional development). When I chat to delegates, such as Architects, Engineers and surveyors they will sometimes say something along the lines of “Many firms who come and give CPD talks to us, tend to deliver boring sales talks, which lack real value”. This is bad because CPD is all about sharpening skills and knowledge, there’s no point otherwise.

Bryan And Matt talk ‘push-to-fit’ technology

I’m not a professional trainer or teacher, so I know, that whilst my CPD content is good, I may not be reaching all the audience because I make assumptions on their prior-knowledge and learning styles – this is a mistake.

Peter spent time taking us through The role of the Trainer – Simple training analysis – The Learning Cycle and the Training Cycle. The importance of tayloring the information for the learner was stressed and we concentrated on reviewing learning styles to make sure that as many students as possible ‘get the message’.

Time to Demonstrate our training skills.

Planning and training delivery were on the menu, before we were tasked with preparing and delivering our own lessons. Ten minute training presentations to demonstrate training skills  were asked for. Peter ruled out choosing anything to do with our work or professional knowledge so Damp, timber treatment, structural waterproofing and structural repairs were off the menu. I chose “How to make the perfect Yorkshire pudding” which engendered quite a discussion…..

Michael’s excellent lesson on the history and nature of Gin was brilliant

Dave Cook with a hilarious presentation on Vasectomy

A good two days in great company and I’m glad I took time out to attend. Passing on skills to others is a noble pursuit, but it doesn’t always come naturally and a simple desire to teach, is not sufficient to be a successful trainer. I can see that the course will improve my damp, wall tie, timber infestation, health and safety and structural repair lessons and CPD’s. PCA training is already top drawer but watch this space – Steve Hodgson and Dave Cook have plans to improve training on many levels, with the help of the fantastic team behind PCA – an established and successful group of professionals, dedicated to spreading great knowledge and good practice – top marks.

If you would like a CPD on the above subjects please do contact me through my company web sites here The Wall tie and structural repair web site – The damp proofing and timber decay web site and my Structural waterproofing web site.

For lift pit waterproofing or Japanese knotweed Dave Cook is your man. Michael Earle specialises in Structural Waterproofing and of course Property Care Association courses are the blue riband, for those wishing to dig deeper into preservation subjects. Matthew Tucney trains his own staff and is the first port of call for flood resilience and flood protection.

Dry Rot.