Future Focus: How A Revamp Is Improving Results On The Army's Infantry Training Course

Young non-commissioned officers have been given a glimpse into a revamped course at the Infantry Training Centre in Catterick.

The recently updated programme has been successful - rates of injury and dropout have significantly decreased.

'Be the Best' is the Army's tagline, but it must identify new teachers and instructors to sustain the standards it sets itself.

The course has been enhanced in four ways - more technology assisted teaching (greater periods of time spent with the dismounted close combat trainer, for example), the use of upgraded cutting-edge kit, a reduction in injury, and improved retention of personnel.

Instructor, Warrant Officer Class 2 Neil Ellis, said:

"If you'll excuse the term the Playstation generation - they're used to that controller, they're used to that functionality of playing games - things like Call of Duty, Battlefield where they actually start to interact in that environment, but what we're able to do here is every single one of them is networked to each other, so they can operate as a section, as an individual up to platoon level."

In terms of retention, many units have seen a drop in wastage - down from 55% to nearly 20% among trainee paratroopers.

Sergeant Christopher Tolley has been an instructor at Catterick since April. He believes his colleagues now have greater freedom to teach in specific ways for each recruit.

"Each individual, each recruit that comes through, responds to different motivations. Some of them come in here, they soak up the information, they're sponges, they just want more and more information. Others its about having that constant reassurance that they’re doing well.

"We have six months to undo 18 to 25 years of programming and life experience, and we've got to take everything they've been taught by friends and family and we've got to undo it and bring them round to our way of thinking."

Recruitment and training is constantly scrutinised and updated - the School of Infantry is confident the course it delivers is world-class.