TRAINING UPDATE

Instructor Development

When I worked in community colleges, I had a quick way of getting an impression of how well or poorly an instructor was doing. If the instructor said something like “I taught it” – and implied “therefore, they learned it” – I knew we had a problem. If the individual said something like “Last time, I did X, and that worked, but it didn’t this time so I had to do Y – or I’ll have to try something else,” then I was fairly sure the instructor was doing a good job. She was, at least, paying attention, listening – definitely not assuming that her students had learned the subject just because it had been presented.

Our instructors are all experienced in the subject areas they deal with in training programs. They also work on methods of presentation and evaluation, and on methods of communicating with the diverse workforce that is Local 506 membership. (They’re almost all ahead of me on Power Point.) So, we send them to courses and workshops on adult education techniques. But, at the same time they have to keep up with new technology (equipment, materials) in the workplace as well as methods of classroom presentation. Our major emphasis on Health and Safety training alone requires monitoring several publications and on-line reports, keeping up with changing certification requirements – and making sure as instructors they are maintaining their own certification, for example as operators of the equipment they train members to use or use in training.

During May and June, our full-time and some of our part-time instructors will be participating 124 person-days of instructor training. This includes training at the Centre, delivered by Miller Safety (safety equipment) and the Workers’ Health and Safety Centre (Level 1 Safety, Health & Safety instructor training), at the Construction Health and Safety Centre in Etobicoke, and at Laborers-AGC Education and Training Fund’s IDP (Instructor Development Program) in Chicago. In addition, the Apprentice Coordinator and the Director will be attending a conference, and one instructor will be away three separate days, serving on a provincial committee developing training standards.

This is a worthwhile investment and is encouraged by the Ambercroft Training Centre Board of Trustees. But it does create some scheduling problems – we are continuing with a nearly-full schedule of membership upgrading and apprenticeship training, while all this is going on.

Comments? Email jmclaren@506tc.org