IITT trainer certification programme wins Queen’s Award
The Trainer Assessment Programme (TAP®), pioneered by the Institute of IT Training since 1998 and now the UK’s leading generic trainer qualification, has been awarded the UK’s most prestigious business accolade – the Queen’s Award for Enterprise, in the Innovation category.
The IITT, working with its training partner The Training Foundation, has achieved a major improvement in training standards across the IT sector since 1998 and TAP® has been key to this success, with more than 70% of IT trainers now TAP® certified.
TAP® is the first training skills qualification to be recognised by an Award in the 40-year history of the Queen’s Awards for Enterprise. The Innovation Award recognises its creation and continuous development by The Training Foundation working alongside the IITT, since 1998 and its proven success in raising the quality of training across the spectrum of both private and public sector organisations. TAP® has been adopted by trainers from more than 1,000 organisations since its launch in 1998.
Colin Steed, Chief Executive of the IITT, said:
“We are delighted by this accolade for the TAP® programme, which has been the Institute’s recommended certification for IT trainers since its introduction in 1998.
“Before the introduction of the IITT’s quality initiatives, far too much IT ‘training’ was in fact lecturing, not training, and technical knowledge was all too often the only requirement for someone to be called on to be an ‘IT trainer’. Learners often gained little in terms of knowledge and skills transfer. Since 1998, we have seen more than 7,000 IT trainers undertake intensive short-courses in the TAP® methodologies, be assessed to its standards, and achieve certification. Given the average number of individuals that are now receiving better quality training from those 7,000 trainers, several million people in the UK are now benefiting each year from the IITT’s promotion of the TAP® programme. Raising the quality of IT training was the main objective at the IITT’s formation, so this is very satisfying for all of us at the Institute and rounds off a wonderful 10th Anniversary Year since the Institute’s formation.”
Nick Mitchell, Chief Executive of The Training Foundation, the IITT’s partner in delivering the TAP® programme, said; “The IITT takes much credit for this Award. In making TAP® its recommended trainer certification in 1998 and not one of the more traditional certifications, it took a bold and innovative position. The resultant substantial improvement in training standards across IT training is to the credit of the IITT. The Training Foundation will continue to work alongside the Institute to take our joint mission to raise standards forward!”
Michael Gough, IITT’s Executive Chairman and Chief Executive of the National Computing Centre, said: “I applaud the partnership between the IITT and the Training Foundation and the contribution that TAP® has made to the training profession and the IT industry as whole. I would like to thank the Queen’s Award assessors for honouring us in this way.”
What is the Trainer Assessment Programme, TAP® ?
TAP® has revolutionised how training is designed and delivered in the classroom, and how learners are supported in learning centres and in the workplace. The basic premise is that, as in other professions, the skills of all professional trainers and those supporting learning should be measurable and assessable to best-practice standards.
TAP® has established new high standards for trainers to achieve. Achievement of any of the six trainer certifications and Diploma within the Programme requires successful assessment of the trainer’s skills against objective, best-practice models. These models focus on making training more learner-centred and participative. The Innovation Award recognises that, in guaranteeing the training skills of a certificated trainer, the TAP® programme has set a completely new, and currently unique, standard.
TAP® has also uniquely addressed the training needs of the many IT trainers who are not primarily trainers but are subject matter experts with occasional training responsibility. By empowering them to deliver interactive, participative training, TAP® has converted thousands from ‘presenters’ to real trainers.
Surveys of IT trainers that have converted to the TAP® methodology from their previous training styles have consistently showed huge improvements in learner feedback and results. Following two surveys of over 1,500 TAP®-certified IT trainers;
96% said it had made “a significant difference” to the way they trained
90% said they used the TAP® methodology “most or all of the time”
87% said they received “better feedback from delegates at the end of the course”
As a result of the programme’s unique ability to ensure high-quality, consistent learning in the workplace, many organisations have adopted TAP® and require all training to be carried out to the TAP® standard. The NHS and the DfES refer to it as ‘a de facto standard in the UK’ on their websites. More than sixty of the FTSE 100 companies now employ TAP®-certified trainers, many also having had senior staff trained to assess to the TAP® standards, ensuring the ongoing consistency of their trainers’ performance.
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Notes for Editors:
About the Institute of IT Training
The Institute of IT Training, a division of the National Computing Centre, was formed in 1995 and is the professional body for IT trainers in the UK. Membership of the IITT requires evidence of assessment of training skills as well as an annual CPD requirement.
More information about the Institute is available from:
Tony Moss, Professional Services Director
Tel: 0845 006 8858
Email: tmoss@iitt.org.uk
www.iitt.org.uk
About The Training Foundation
The Training Foundation was formed in 1998 with the objective of empowering everyone involved in training and developing others.
The Training Foundation operates the UK’s leading certification programmes for the core training team, subject matter experts in a training role and those in learner support roles. More information is available from:
Adrian Snook, The Training Foundation:
Tel: +44 (0)2476 411288
Email: a.snook@trainingfoundation.com
www.trainingfoundation.com
About The Queen’s Awards
The Queen's Awards for Enterprise are the UK's most prestigious awards for business performance. Winners of the Queen’s Award for Enterprise: Innovation must have demonstrated substantial improvement in business performance and commercial success, to levels that are outstanding for the size of the applicant's operations. This award was granted on the grounds of ‘demonstrable continuous innovation and development, sustained over not less than five years.’
www.queensawards.org.uk
About The Trainer Assessment Programme (TAP®)
The Certified Trainer Assessment Programme (TAP) consists of six unique, assessable models. Underpinned by 21 competencies, TAP provides an integrated framework for career development ranging from one-to-one coaching through to a Diploma in Learning Facilitation Skills.
About DfES Recognition for TAP®
The Certificate in Training Delivery skills, awarded following assessment under the Trainer Assessment programme (TAP), is now a de facto standard in the UK and is commended by the DfES.
The full document can also be downloaded from The Teachernet Website at: www.teachernet.gov.uk/management/tools/ims/competences/
About NHS Recognition for TAP®
Sections 9.3 and 9.4 of this document are very relevant to any NHS client involved in Health Informatics. This document recognises TAP as follows:
"The Certificate in Training Delivery skills, awarded following assessment under the Trainer Assessment programme (TAP), is now a de facto standard in the UK and is a recommended standard”
www.nhsia.nhs.uk/nhid/pages/resource_informatics/prof_qual.pdf