ITC and Outdoor First Aid are synonymous both across the UK and wider afield. The original regulated Outdoor First Aid qualification was developed and released in 2006, via SQA Accreditation following decades of successful delivery by ITC centres.
ITC now has three regulated Outdoor First Aid qualifications;
Creating and Managing these qualifications have taught us that the outdoor sector is constantly changing and evolving. ITC will change as normal to meet these needs.
Initially Outdoor First Aid courses were completed mostly by those working in or leading outdoor education and outdoor activities. As time progressed, the content and strong educational training and assessment model were recognised and now these qualifications are ever-increasingly being utilised by a broader range of outdoor and remote workers such as forestry workers, conservation groups, utilities staff, estate workers, renewables. It’s therefore important that ITC ensures that the qualifications are relevant and meet the needs of all sectors and its learners.
ITC an Awarding Organisation has an embedded culture of feedback and seeks to adapt to an ever-changing work place environment. Therefore, ITC has recently reviewed the Level 3 Outdoor First Aid qualifications with aims to keep them current and relevant to the demands of users and continue to meet the needs of the sectors.
‘Relevance’ not only applies to content, but also the requirements and demands of assessing and quality assurance staff delivering the qualifications, meaning that when learners complete an ITC Outdoor First Aid qualification, they are not only getting a relevant qualification but that it is delivered and assessed by expert staff.
In reviewing these qualifications, ITC engaged with Centre Managers, sector experts including IOL, representatives from National Governing Bodies, professional bodies and end users of qualifications. The feedback and suggestions are compiled and the review is completed.
The resulting work has led to some small but important changes to our qualifications namely:
- Aligning assessment methods with ITC’s wider suite of first aid qualifications
- Amending outcomes, allowing the qualification to be used by most outdoor and remote workers in a broader range of sectors
- Protecting the quality of the training and assessment
The qualifications remain Institute of Outdoor Learning’s (IOL) Accredited courses. continue to align with the Institute of Outdoor Learning’s (IOL) good practice statement for outdoor first aid
ITC remains the market leader for Outdoor First Aid qualifications are we hope to maintain that status for the foreseeable future.
Find out more about ITC’s Outdoor First Aid qualifications on the ITC Website or contact the ITC office if you’re interested in delivering these great qualifications at your Centre.
