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Press Release
21st April 2005
IITT trainer certification programme wins 2005 Queen's Award
for Innovation
 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.
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.
It works!
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.
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."
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
Westwood House
Westwood Business Park
Coventry CV4 8HS
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 the above 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
About The National Computing Centre
NCC is the UK's leading IT membership organisation, serving
corporate, vendor and government communities. We champion the effective
use of IT to maximise the competitiveness of our members' business.
We do this by providing impartial advice and support, best practice
and standards and personal and professional development. NCC is
a social enterprise. Principia is a membership service of the National
Computing Centre.
Press Contacts
Michael Dean/Kath Bates
National Computing Centre
Oxford House, Oxford Road
Manchester M1 7ED
michael.dean@ncc.co.uk/kath.bates@ncc.co.uk
Telephone: +44 (0) 161 242 2121
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