Glenn is one of our highly qualified Lead Trainers operating from Shropshire and has been with Nuco Training since 2005.
When did you first learn first aid and why?
I had a long career in the Army joining at the age of 16 and First Aid was one of many aspects we constantly trained on that was additional to our standard core specialist areas of expertise. In most cases, we just took it for granted and dealt with injuries as they occurred. Most scenarios were trauma-related due to the nature of the job and so dealing with very difficult and often complicated casualty situations were really challenging but always rewarding. As my career moved forward and I moved into jobs that involved military and civilian staff working together. It became very apparent that applying a Battlefield First Aid Dressing wasn’t going to fix a Heart attack or a Stroke and so I had to increase my understanding and knowledge by attending a First Aid at Work Course.
What made you choose to become a first aid instructor/trainer?
This was an easy choice for me as for the best part of my 29-years in the Army, I was always involved in teaching, more commonly referred to as Instructing. Once I had identified my own area of expertise, my career in Tank Gunnery involved several courses that were staged over time involving often long periods of time at the AFV Gunnery School in Dorset, fine-tuning my teaching skills and subject knowledge. I left the military with a Level 4 CTLLS but have since completed my Diploma in Education and Training at Level 5.
By accident and pure coincidence, I attended a First Aid refresher course in Dorset and the trainer was awful. Boring and completely unmotivated which is sufficient enough to describe this individual and it was at this point I knew I could do a much better job. I did my research and became an instructor with NUCO in 2005 and was immediately put to task by the military and taught several First Aid courses at the Armour Centre in Bovington.
What would you say to someone considering becoming a first aid trainer?
Why do you want to do it? That’s what I ask on the instructor courses I currently deliver. The answers vary from ‘No idea really’ or ‘work sent me’ to ‘I need a career change’. In all cases I do my absolute best to guide and advise, to explain as much as possible from what can be achieved when completing this course.
It isn’t an ‘attendance’ course, it’s hard work and there is a good reason for this, the market requires quality trainers and not someone who can push a button showing another PowerPoint slide. You need to be motivated and ready for the challenge. There are plenty of other instructor qualifications that NUCO offer and this an ideal platform to build the trainers portfolio which widens the opportunities for teaching industry required qualifications
