June 2006, Issue 71 [pdf 2.8mb, 40 - Royal New Zealand Air Force

26
TRAINING REVIEW PUTS LEADERSHIP
AT THE HEART OF NCO COURSES
A ‘fundamental shift in leadership training’ is how Course
FLTCDR FLTLT Mike Cannon describes the inaugural
06/1 Promotion Course for Corporals, held last month
at Base Woodbourne.
And these changes are no half-hearted measures or mere tinkering
around the edges. Terms like ‘fundamental shift’, and ‘radically
reviewed’ are just that. They indicate a whole new forwardlooking
training regime is in place, with leadership at its very heart.
Simply put the aim is to have Warrant Offi cers and NCOs reclaim the
workplace leadership position they once occupied. It has the support
of Offi cers, Instructors and, according to their feedback, a majority of
Warrant Offi cers and NCOs.
‘These people are the future and we have a responsibility to protect
the organisation’s future. By giving them the tools to take ownership of
their future career development they are empowered to fulfi l their rank
responsibilities. Anecdotal evidence is that the rank of CPL had become
devalued to the point that they were essentially a senior LAC,’ says FLTLT
Cannon.
Previously the CPL’s course was a mere nine day course conducted on the
CPL’s own base. The new course, developed after exhaustive consultation
and stringent course redesign work by NCO Project Manager Mr Brian
‘Bunny’ Warren, goes much, much deeper. For a start it is a resident course
at Woodbourne and has been quadrupled to four weeks.
The review has been over two years in the making but is now at the
practical stage. At the start of the review a debate developed as to whether
our NCOs and Warrant Offi cers were receiving adequate and appropriate
training for their leadership role. Recognising the importance of this issue
CAF in 2004 directed that explicit training be designed to ‘tool’ Warrant
Offi cers with the relevant knowledge, skills and attitudes required to
empower them to fulfi l their rank responsibilities.
The changes to the course are the result of a wide-ranging review of NCO
Training that ensured they were being trained to meet RNZAF needs at ‘the
right level, for the right person, at the right time, by the right people.’
Fear of failure and the unknown are two of the biggest obstacles course
members face, says FLTLT Cannon. ‘The last time they were in Woodbourne
was probably on a trade course with a different mindset. The CPL course
can be a mystery to them. Once they discover its not a threat they warm
to the course material and get involved.’ And the four-week course also
means less distractions, better training outcomes and the opportunity to
establish effective networks among members. The result is simply a well
rounded, confi dent and more informed CPL, he says.
That’s not to say the course can’t be refi ned. ‘The PROMCPL was the fi rst
delivery of the NCO Training Review. We are big enough to say we’re not
100 percent happy with it but a robust evaluation process means we must
have got something right. The fi rst PROMSGT is almost complete and is
also going well and we will shortly launch the F/S course. The big ticket
item is the W/O course. We haven’t had one before so it’s a major policy
shift but the initial driver for the review,’ says FLTLT Cannon.
AIR FORCE NEWS ASKED KEY PERSONNEL INVOLVED IN TEACHING THE
NEW COURSE WHY THEY BECAME INVOLVED AND HOW THEY FIND THE JOB
W/O Phil Webley, Chief Instructor
I had held my current position as FLT CDR Auckland Fire Flight for over 5
years and was actively looking for a change. NCO Training has been a huge
change for me as I had never held an instructor’s post before and had been
entrenched in the Auckland way of doing business. I fi nd the job very enjoyable
and I’m slowly getting used to the fast pace and variety.
F/S Greg Spark, DS1 & PROMSGT Director
Being part of NTF has fulfi lled one of my personal goals which is to have
some infl uence in the development of the RNZAF’s future. The NCO training
review has been challenging to say the least. The challenge has been not just
to deliver the new continuum but also to do so from a position of strength by
improving my own knowledge of the leadership models.
F/S Paul Anderson, DS2 & PROMCPL Director
Having come from a technical background where everything is done IAW
something it is pleasing to see a process that is giving our NCO’s tools and
skills that will enable them to effectively lead others and handle the variety
of tasks that the modern Air Force asks of personnel.
FLTLT Mike Cannon, FLT CDR
What we deliver must be relevant to the modern RNZAF workplace. The
courses we have delivered so far are a promising start and I am conscious of
the hard work put in by NTF staff and many other RNZAF people. The balance of
staff we have means that there is a huge amount of knowledge and experience
to be passed on. It is entirely up to the individual how they apply it.
AFN71 JUNE 06 www.airforce.mil.nz