Some of us are born teachers.....others have teaching thrust upon them

How many people in work place based training and education have a teaching qualification? How many have fallen into training colleagues and juniors because it was part of the remit when they were promoted, or it "goes with the territory"? Is teaching something we can all do? Does it have to be especially taught? Does anybody really care?

I am not sure that we value teaching and training in this country to the extent that we should. In many of the professions the 'apprenticeship' model is alive and kicking purely because it requires little to no funding. Passing on one's professional knowledge, skills and judgement is an innate responsibility for any professional....isn't it?

These are rather deep questions, for which there is no hard and fast answer. However, in compulsory education, the healthcare services, public sector such as police and paramedic work, as well as in many other areas of professional life, the funding for and formal acknowledgement of dedicated training, teaching and mentoring, is almost non existent.

Pre service training is seen as all that is necessary for a teacher, a police officer and to an extent a doctor, to achieve the necessary "competencies" (Oh I hate that word!) to do their job. And this is where I suspect the problem lies. Competency based careers are just that - jobs. I would argue that professional careers require much more time and thought and dialogue than the mere ticking of lists and provision of "evidence" to show that one is competent (which now means 'just good enough!') A professional surgeon, lawyer, teacher, police officer, paramedic, nurse (I could go on) require more than just a degree in their subject or even a subsequent qualification in their vocational area. Professional expertise in all these areas takes time, requires guidance and mentoring, on the job coaching and reflection, and a dedicated commitment to development. Without the input of a more experienced other (a coach, teacher, mentor, trainer) this will not happen.

So back to my original question: How many people who find themsleves in this role, have the necessary skills, underpinning knowledge and natural aptitude to fulfil it? If everyone can be a teacher because they have been taught, can everyone be a doctor because they have been ill?

Increasingly I hear the lament from everyone around me that things are no longer working. Apart from the fact that policemen are getting younger (!) is there some truth in the complaints regarding a lowering of standards and attitude? If we are to do anything to counter this in professional life, we need to invest in those who are responsible for guiding the next generation, by educating them to think for themselves, and forget about ticking boxes.

If you have had teaching thrust upon you, I urge you to demand some support in this role. Most workplace based trainers are successful in what they do and many manage to communicate their skills, to a degree, to their trainees. But in a workplace that demands investment in health and safety, equality and diversity, and other such "rights", where are the rights of those who maintain the quality of the next generation?