Case Study: Industry-leading Qualifications for Incident Command

Initially, K Lamb Associates began providing bespoke training to the UK’s fire and rescue sector, working with services to tailor learning to meet the required skills for a range of roles. One of K Lamb‘s clients approached the team to request that they support them with training for regulated qualifications, working with SFJ Awards.

“I would like to thank Dr Katherine Lamb and K Lamb Associates for the services provided on the provision of the SFJ Awards Level 7 Strategic Incident Command course. The professionalism, proficiency and quality-oriented training provision focused on Strategic Incident Command and decision making, was second to none.”

Qualified Learner, Fire and Rescue Sector

The Challenge

K Lamb Associates, founded by Dr Katherine Lamb, initially supported the fire service through the employers’ centre, providing a wraparound training solution, and supporting learners to become qualified in their field.

Working as a third party added some complexity to the delivery of quality assured qualifications. By becoming an independently approved SFJ Awards centre, in 2018, K Lamb were able to have greater control over the delivery of training to meet the qualification, and maintain quality assurance. The addition of SFJ Awards regulated qualifications supported their existing portfolio of learning.

The demand on the fire service also changed significantly over the same time period. Demand grew for the SFJ Awards certified qualifications from the sector, due to increased skills’ needs for fire service staff to meet more rigorous standards from government audit processes.

Having competent and qualified Incident Commanders, trained to a high level, has become increasingly important and services are now measured against this need. All officers need to be assessed every two years to maintain their level of competence.

The Solution

Fire and rescue services can access several courses through a small
number of approved training providers in the UK, and some employers
maintain their competence internally.

Working with a trusted training provider, like K Lamb Associates, enables services with more flexible and cost-effective access to training and qualifications to maintain competency of Incident Commanders and other roles.

K Lamb Associates conduct all the development, training and certification for learners which encompasses SFJ Awards’ qualifications. They predominantly deliver Incident Commend Qualifications and Incident Command Training for Fire Officers who make risk critical decisions at incidents.

The Learning

There are four different command levels, and training courses for each of these levels get more complex depending on how high up the organisational food chain individuals go.

The government audit processed by the HMI CFRS commenced around the same time that K Lamb became an approved centre. It started to become increasingly difficult for fire and rescue services to maintain the level of IQA assessor competence needed to justify having their own assessment centre, particularly for small candidate numbers. This caused the sector to transition from maintaining their own centre, to outsourcing that requirement.

Qualifications are not a complete development pathway, but K Lamb can tailor courses to meet each FRS’ needs, and learning and development routes. Many individuals are looking for a journey from point A to point B, which will include an SFJ Awards qualification, coupled with bespoke training that’s tailored to organisational needs. Having an SFJ Awards qualification provides a more complete package for learners.

The Outcomes

K Lamb continue to work closely with the team at SFJ Awards and have joined the centre directory to showcase available training for learners and employers, as well as joining qualification review boards.

They have been heavily involved in auditing and reviewing SFJ Awards qualifications, by providing significant feedback which ensures course content maximises the benefits for learners. By supporting review boards, training providers can help align assessment criteria and help to make the qualifications better.

K Lamb have been central to the process of reviewing Incident Command qualifications. By being involved in the development and review of qualifications, approved centres like K Lamb Associates can benefit from qualifications that are appropriate for learners receiving training.