Celebrating Excellence: Fleet School Instructor achieves “first” for RCN

Left to Right: Major Harold Handley, Chief Petty Officer First Class Stan Budden, Commander Maude Ouellet-Savard, Petty Officer Second Class Chris Campbell, Scarlett Campbell, Sarah Valentine, Lieutenant-Commander Colin Dudeck. Photo provided.

Michael McWhinnie, Public Affairs Advisor, NPTG — Every once in a while someone accomplishes something exceptional, and the only appropriate response is to expend a confetti cannon!

The leadership at Naval Fleet School Pacific (NFS(P)) recently celebrated one such occasion when Petty Officer Second Class (PO2) Chris Campbell, a Marine Technician (MARTECH) instructor, became the first Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) member, and only the second person in uniform to earn a Level 3 qualification in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Instructor Development Program (IDP).

“We are all very proud of what PO2 Campbell has accomplished,” said Commander (Cdr) Maude Ouellet-Savard, Commandant of NFS(P). “It’s a great example of leadership. He demonstrated the initiative required to do something none of his peers had done before and, in so doing, has set a precedent that we encourage others to emulate.”

Although the Canadian Forces Individual Training and Education System (CFITES) has long provided guidelines for training establishments to develop military instructors, it wasn’t until December 2020 that the CAF IDP featuring three certification levels was formalized. The program aims at standardizing qualifications and providing a path for instructors to further develop their expertise and professionalism.

“The operational excellence demonstrated by RCN crews at sea is predicated on the quality of instruction we deliver in our training establishments,” explained Cdr Ouellet-Savard. “The time and effort PO2 Campbell invested in his professional development will begin to pay immediate rewards through improved curriculum development and classroom delivery.”

Accompanied by his wife Scarlett, PO2 Campbell was presented his IDP3 certificate during an honours and award ceremony at NFS(P) during the forenoon of Apr. 13.

“It’s a great feeling to set a goal and work through all the challenges to achieve it,” said PO2 Campbell. “I am grateful for all the encouragement I received from the people in my Divisional System, the guidance provided by the program coordinator Sarah Valentine and the support of Maj Handley throughout my evaluations”. 

The IDP is comprised of three discreet levels.

The primary step of the programme is to gain the Instructional Techniques qualification, a prerequisite for all Naval Training Group personnel employed in a training role.

Having achieved Level 1 certification, instructors may proactively seek to build on this foundational knowledge by pursuing the Alternate Instructional Techniques qualification, completing several workshops, and undergoing interactive classroom assessments resulting in a Level 2 certification.

The prestigious Level 3 certification entails completing two supplementary courses: Instructional Supervisor and Facilitative Instructional Techniques. Additionally, candidates are evaluated on their ability to apply advanced facilitation and team coaching techniques in a practical setting.