CPSA Level 1 Instructor Course

[DavidJ]

I have an interest in doing a basic shotgun coaching certificate so I can instruct new shooter at a friends shoot.

Do we have any CPSA registered coaches on the forum or any CPSA representatives that can justify the costs and irrelevant prerequisites.

To do a Level 1 course at £695 you have to have the following prerequisites

1st Safety Officer Course at £99 - I can understand this to some extent but not sure why it cant be covered in the Level 1 course.

2nd Instructor Development Workshop at £175 - Now you are taking the p...

This consists of a one day course where you will be given an overview of the full four day course and be assessed for suitability to progress onto the Level 1 course.​

Once again why would I pay anyone to tell me the curriculum of the level 1 course and to asses my suitability? I could be cynical and suggest that everyone fails the suitability test first time and has to pay again.... I really can't get my head around this one.

The simple Lantra course seems to be the way to go. Sorry CPSA your just cashing in, in my opinion.

 

[Zea]

I have no experience of the CPSA courses but can vouch for the Lantra Shotgun Coaching Level 1 course; an intensive session but my facilitator Ann Litchfield was knowledgeable and informative, and the course covered everything you'd need to teach at a basic level.

 

[jasper]

+1 for LANTRA. Did it last month. Ann is great. It's fairly intense and assumes some level of competence with gun handling etc.

Loaders course excellent also. 

Jasper.

 

[ips]

speak to salopian David, he will see you right on this question

 

[jonz]

I did the CPSA instructors course some 20+ years ago and it was expensive then. It is 4 very full days of both classroom work and practical work with pupils some who have shot before and some who haven’t. Back then some of the course leaders were very good others weren’t. 

Like any course it not just content but how it’s delivered that makes it work, for me the CPSA was good but I wouldn’t recommend it as it depends on if you can connect with the instructors and that’s a very personal thing 

 

[DavidJ]

But what is the Instructor Development Workshop all about other than a money making exercise. 

I've never had to pay to find out what the next level is all about and to be assessed, for any course I've ever done!!!! If I was to fail the CPSA would loose me as a customer as I wouldn't be forking out again. 

 

[Sian]

But what is the Instructor Development Workshop all about other than a money making exercise. 

I've never had to pay to find out what the next level is all about and to be assessed, for any course I've ever done!!!! If I was to fail the CPSA would loose me as a customer as I wouldn't be forking out again. 

Tony says that development day is about finding your weaknesses to avoid coming back for the expensive 4 days to find that you are lacking in an area and then failing the course.  You go away and improve those areas.  

 

[DavidJ]

It shouldn't cost £175 for that then should it.

If I was looking at a Uni course they'd assess me for free and tell me the content of the modules before charging a fortune.

 

[ips]

sounds like money making to me. Have a word with salopian, pretty sure his lot run courses.

 

[DavidJ]

Who is "his lot" ips?

I'll be doing the Lantra course. I don't need to spend the best part of £1000 to teach someone how to hit a moving target using the CPSA method.

I just want a basic certificate. I dont shoot the CPSA method exactly. I use a modification on it with more success.

 

[jonz]

Whichever course you do you’re not going to become a coach in 1 or 4 days, it takes a lot longer than that to be able to be a good instructor, some folk never get there, and a piece of paper isn’t going to make any difference. You need to put in a lot of hours with many different pupils of different skills to become a good coach.

 

[Nimbusgb]

Christ! The cost of instruction to learn to fly a glider solo is less than that, in fact it's 0 if done through a club. To get an instructors ticket took a week of flying for which I paid for my flight time and tows. Again the cost of the course was nominal. After that I was qualified to teach people how to fly. 

£900 to be able teach people the basics of shooting, nuts.

 

[DavidJ]

Whichever course you do you’re not going to become a coach in 1 or 4 days, it takes a lot longer than that to be able to be a good instructor, some folk never get there, and a piece of paper isn’t going to make any difference. You need to put in a lot of hours with many different pupils of different skills to become a good coach.

Granted, but I think it gives anyone who contacts my friend about starting shooting a bit of confidence that the person showing them has made the effort.

The Lantra course will do that and I have had good feedback including in this thread. 

 

[Salopian]

You pay your money and take your choice .

Anyone who believes that a one,three or four day course will make you an instructor is , I am afraid to say sadly deluded.

Does anyone know a Craftsperson  who qualified in four days?

 

[DavidJ]

I will pay my money but not for the Instructor Development Workshop, a totally unnecessary payment of £175 which I may have to pay more than once. Read the description of this course, that isn't a course...

 

[Sian]

Tony found it a constructive exercise, it sharpened his approach.  He knows his stuff but delivering of said stuff is a different matter.  Salopian is right in that no course makes you an instructor or coach it merely gives people an assurance that you have made an effort to deliver your stuff in a good way.  This is assuming you have a knowledge base to start with.   

Anyhow at at this point I’m out because it just winds me up the sh*t that is bandied around whether you are BASC, CPSA, Lantra or trading on the fact that you happen to be very good yourself at shooting.  The amount of bull carp that people say about one or the other is actually shameful considering we are one fraternity.  

 

[Salopian]

Sian,

 I have to agree wholeheartedly with your last paragraph.

I have been teaching for over forty years and have been accredited by ALL the organisations , because at the time I felt it was something worthwhile, now I am not so sure as I have seen it go from an educational , knowledge sharing platform to nothing more than a cash cow. Fortunately I have retained my interest and my membership of The Guild of Shooting Instructors which is an association founded by professional shooting instructors  thirty years ago to provide high level instruction to those wishing to learn and advance. Interestingly the Lantra course syllabus , the CPSA courses and BASC courses were initially written and provided by members of The Guild of Shooting Instructors, but as time moved on they were diluted , and modified by people with far less product , safety and sport knowledge .

Anyone wishing to be a professional instructor or coach may be interested in applying through www.shootinginstructors.co.uk 

 

[ips]

You pay your money and take your choice .

Anyone who believes that a one,three or four day course will make you an instructor is , I am afraid to say sadly deluded.

Does anyone know a Craftsperson  who qualified in four days?

with the greatest respect peter David may be a really good instructor already but just hasn't got the certificate ? bit like the many experienced loaders who are still offering a very good professional service but again without the accreditation.

its a shame that the cpsa and suchlike do not offer an attendance course rather than a full on instructors course.

 

[Salopian]

IPS,

 With the greatest respect , there are many fine teachers and instructors in all walks of life that have no certificates to ascertain their proficiency in their chosen role .

The Guild of Shooting Instructors offers an assessment day to anyone who aspires to be an instructor in shooting sports. They either meet trhe necessary level of competence or are given guidance on the areas that they need to raise their level of competence on to enable them to re-assess at a later date.

I am sure your idea of a certificate of attendance to a CPSA course will be embraced as another opportunity to part gullible people from their savings.