The ICT Training Unit of the Avon and Somerset Constabulary is able to offer ICT (Information and Communication Technology) training to other police forces and public organisations.

The force has over 6,000 employees and is heavily dependent upon information and communication technology. To ensure the force provides the best possible service it has an ICT Training Unit with a dedicated team of ICT Trainers.

The ICT Training Unit is staffed by a qualified team of 12 permanent trainers and a number of temporary trainers. The range of qualifications held are listed below - all trainers hold at least one training qualification and most have additional qualifications:

• BEd, BSc
• Cert Ed/PGCE
• FAETC Stage I and II
• NVQ Level 3/4 Learning and Development
• MOUS Excel/PowerPoint.Word/Outlook/Access
• MOUS Master Instructor
• A1 and V1 (Assessor and Verifier)
• PNC Accredited Trainer
• ECDL

All trainers are members of the Institute for Learning (IfL) and all permanent trainers are members of Institute of IT Training (IITT). In addition many are members of other professional organisations such as the British Computer Society. Some of the unit’s trainers have attended external Train the Trainer Courses for example a course on GIS by ESRI (Environmental Systems Research Institute) and courses on HOLMES2 by Unisys.

The unit is a registered ECDL testing centre and is able to facilitate force personnel taking the qualification.

The unit is divided into seven teams:

• 3 Training Teams
• Multimedia Team
• Simulated Operations Team
• Learning Technologies Team
• Administration Team

During the financial year 2009 – 2010 the unit trained over 2,700 personnel attending 452 training events ranging in length from half a day to six weeks and comprising 83 different training courses. The unit also trains personnel from other forces and external organisations and the courses on offer can be viewed in the Course Brochure.

The majority of courses are trained at the HQ Training School at Portishead but the unit does have a mobile training classroom comprising eight terminals and a training bus, which can be sited at any appropriate location. In addition trainers also train off-site at other training venues.