Thoughts on training, further education

bambislayer

Well-Known Member
I'd be interested in hearing everyones thoughts on this.

At the moment there are various college courses, up to HNC [level 7], covering wildlife management. Most of these courses are full time and are used as training for those wishing to go into the shooting industries, game keeping etc.

For the "recreational stalker/hunter" there are very few formal training courses other than DMQ, LANTRA which although vocational, carry no Further Education points.

The HNC courses expect the students to be in a placement or at least have considerable "profesional" experience.

I am wondering if there is sufficient interest, for there to be an online/distance learning HNC which would allow those outwith the industry or in full time employment to study. This qualification could be used to access other higher education course, act as CPD , enable someone to enter the workplace with a qualification, without having to leave employment to study, enable those involved in Stalking/hunting increase their knowledge.

I forsee this as something that could be done over a number of years [or 1 year full time] and be done in blocks ie deer management, game bird management, habitat assessment.

At the moment we have DMQ which is approx National Cert level and then the next training opportunity is a sustainable deer management module, which is post grad [level 11 /12] so quite a jump!!!!!!!

Interested in hearing your thoughts? This is not about mandatory training but allowing people to progress/access further education
 
Bambislayer, i am on your side. i would also like to expand my knowledge but have to run a business aswell so some sort of online, in your own time course would be a winner.

you would have thought in this day and age it wouldnt be too far past the realms of possibility. As a thought, may be the BDS could take up the mantle as accreddited "units" could be taken from a whole raft of courses nationwide and a course developed?

may do some research in to this as i work at a college....
 
My thoughts are, to keep it seperate from orgs and to run it from a FE institution. I also do some work in this field and it is simple enough to put this together [just time!] , what will make it happen is the level of interest.
The rationale for delivering it from an educational institution is that it will carry points that will allow it to be used as part of a wider study programme. Unfortunately LANTRA, DMQ don't carry such credits.
 
I had started a wildlife & countryside management Degree at walford college. I had to give that up when I accept a new job that had me living in Leeds for 7 months. So yes I would be interested depending on costs.


Regards
Tim
 
Always interested in anything which can increase my knowledge. Why nt think about doing something along the lines of the PH courses in Africa? The various component parts could be delivered at distance and an examination held centrally for those who wished to be bothered. Others could just enjoy the learning experience. Flora, Fauna, birds, photogaphy, trophy measuring etc, etc could all be covered.
Anyway, more power to your elbow. I suspect this could be a mighty undertaking but with huge long term benefits.
 
Funny but I was looking just last night for such a course but found nothing. I'd be very interested if such a course became available.

Mark
 
perhaps the way forward would be to run a poll on the idea? (of having an accredited course) at least on here we would get a good response.
 
Will run a poll.

anything run will be accredited to an FE college (you'll probably guess what one) . I would imagine 6 would be the min. amount per unit.
It may be possible to use an ILA to subsidise.

still early days, but very much on the cards, watch this space
 
I'd be interested, but I'm not sure what direction this would take or what level of award could be realistically reached?
Also, what would you then use it toward? Could it become a further 'rod for our own backs' as an award which must be achieved to meet certain criteria?
I have DSC levels 1 & 2, have done the week long BDS Deer Managers course (LANTRA award), DSC 2 Approved Winess. I'm currently a good way through a Level 3 certificate in assessing vocationally related achievement which will allow me to assess DSC 2 portfolios as well as teach and assess DSC level 1 courses.
I think that what we do tends to lend itself more towards occupational skills and education in the lifelong learning sector, which is currently where it is at.
I'm a great fan of any further education, but I think there are limits to the 'theory' side of what we do? There should remain a practical side or we surely run into the realms of highly qualified 'deer managers' in grey suits who are making decisions when they may not have even been near too many deer!;)
Education is a fantastic thing, but be careful what you wish for.
MS
 
Unfortunately, we have 2 training types at the moment.

basicaly we have vocational and academic. There is room for both. Unfortunately they are not combined.

i don't think that at level 7 or HNC we are going to have a bunch of suits and this would not be seen as something to replace vocational training but rather run alongside.

this should not be a mandatory "hunting" requirement and many will run a mile from further education. But others will want to and this gives an opportunity to enter fe.

Now for some it will be as far as they go, for others it could be a gateway to much more. It may well be done as CPD or just as a way to learn more or at least formalise their knowledge.

The world of wildlife management is expecting a lot more from people, habitat assessment, Deer Management plans and marketing are all skills that employers will want. The more that you can bring to an employer, the better.
 
I would be very interested Bambislayer

I have attained most of the qualifications I’m likely to require in my professional / full time career and over the years I have toyed with Open University type quals but found difficulty in finding something of suitable interest and course content which is completely different from my profession to study.


Due to the nature of my work, distance learning and online training would be the only real viable option for me so I’d be interested. Count me in & keep us posted on further developments.


Cheers[FONT=&quot]
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I must say this is an altoghter excellent idea and if such a course became available I would be very interested
so chalk me up as a keen supporter :thumb:
 
OK then, as great an idea as it appears, :stir:, who is qualifed enough and suitable to deliver or assess such training?
What qualification would THEY need to facilitate such an award?
It's a bit of a 'chicken & egg' problem maybe? Where do you begin? Qualifications changing names, or 'grandfather rights' may have been acceptable in other lines of work, but we seemed to have no equivalent qual and DSC 2 seems to have scuppered any grandfather rights schemes?:lol:
It is a great idea, but it is sadly only likely to happen if someone can make money from it!;)
MS
 
OK then, as great an idea as it appears, :stir:, who is qualifed enough and suitable to deliver or assess such training?
What qualification would THEY need to facilitate such an award?
It's a bit of a 'chicken & egg' problem maybe? Where do you begin? Qualifications changing names, or 'grandfather rights' may have been acceptable in other lines of work, but we seemed to have no equivalent qual and DSC 2 seems to have scuppered any grandfather rights schemes?:lol:
It is a great idea, but it is sadly only likely to happen if someone can make money from it!;)
MS

don't want to say too much it would be delivered via an fe college. The units are already there. What needs to be done is that materials go online and someone facilitates the course. All modules are already approved by the SQA . There would be no change in qualification, the change will be in the delivery method, online rather than face to face. Obviously fe institutions need ££s , but courses will be delivered if there are enough interested people(hence this post).
this is not about reinventing the wheel but making it more accessible to people who would not normally have the opportunity to do such courses.
 
Would be very interested. As I work away from home I spend a lot of time reading up on things to try and and keep me away from the pub.so to be working towards a course which not only interest me but also helps me would be great.

David
 
The technology probably has never been better to allow something like this to get going and make a difference. I did some distance learning in the 80's and found it dry wordy and a bit of a slog ,but with web cams .you tube and the internet it should be possible to create an engage in a fresh and lively approach to gaining extra skills.
The contacts i have had with gamekeeping students has shown up weakenesses in field craft , reading ground ect and basic knowledge of quarry and pests and predators. It is a big subject but could be usefully broken down into modules to make it manageable.
A deer management course doesnt make a student a deer manager but could give a base from which to build a life long learning interest. There is a wealth of practical experience that could be harnessed to further something like this whether on this site or from SGA and NGO members.
 
The technology probably has never been better to allow something like this to get going and make a difference. I did some distance learning in the 80's and found it dry wordy and a bit of a slog ,but with web cams .you tube and the internet it should be possible to create an engage in a fresh and lively approach to gaining extra skills.
The contacts i have had with gamekeeping students has shown up weakenesses in field craft , reading ground ect and basic knowledge of quarry and pests and predators. It is a big subject but could be usefully broken down into modules to make it manageable.
A deer management course doesnt make a student a deer manager but could give a base from which to build a life long learning interest. There is a wealth of practical experience that could be harnessed to further something like this whether on this site or from SGA and NGO members.


Spot on
One certainly wouldn't want folk thinking that they are fully qualified with just a academic qualification, it has to be done in parallel.
At the moment all fe gamekeeping modules are industry reviewed as are new modules.
 
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