Technician and Teacher Training

Induction Training

Induction for a new school technician is carried out by TSS and consists of a five-day generic training course. A program of training in other areas should follow this up over a period of 1 to 2 years. The use of holiday periods is the most efficient use of resources to carry this out. The number of training days would be 8 days plus any number of days required for ICT training from Edict on the network utilised by the secondary sector. This would allow the technician to become proficient in the other areas of school life. This does not take into account any specialised training that would have to be arranged throughout the year.

Technician Progression Scheme

Technicians are employed within specialised areas according to the needs of the establishment with knowledge, understanding and recognised qualifications pertaining to that area. After an initial induction period of work experience, the Senior Support Services Technician will nominate the technician for a suitable training course within the technician progression scheme. This will enable them to become a more flexible working member of the team and be able to provide cover over a range of departments and specialist areas of school life.

The progression scheme courses cover the three disciplines in which the main technician tasks are carried out, and have three levels of technical and practical ability. The courses should be completed in order of competence, a selection of these courses are compulsory and not elective.

The order is as follows:

Basic followed by Intermediate are core courses and must be completed.

Advanced are elective courses with technicians making the appropriate selections in consultation with their Senior Support Service Technicians.

Teacher Training

Teacher training which is Health and Safety influenced, is on occasions carried out by TSS, this being by prior arrangement with Education Personnel.

Courses Run by TSS

Induction Training: Specialist area training (5 Days)

Technical Basic: Safe Use of Sander, Pillar Drill and Bandsaw (1 Day)

Technical Intermediate: Safe Use of Workshop Machinery SCQF accredited course (2 Days)

Science Basic: Safe Handling, Storage and Labelling of Chemicals (2 Days)

Science Intermediate: Safe preparation of Bench and Salt Solutions and equipment preparation (2 Days)

AV/ICT Basic: Setting up and identification of simple Audio Visual & ICT equipment (2 Days)

AV/ICT Intermediate: Instruction on transfer of analogue video to digital use of mixer desk and video capture to carry out editing (2 Days)

The following courses involve specialised training that would be arranged throughout the year as required:

Micro Biology Safety in Schools level 3: Safe working practices at level 3 SCQF accredited course (3 Days)

Manual Handling: A guide to Safe Manual Handling operations, Assessed Written and Practical (1 Day)

Technical Maintenance: Safe maintenance of machines and tools in technical departments (2 Days)

Health and Safety Training: As and when required through legislation or curriculum changes

Equipment Familiarisation: Training in the use and maintenance of new equipment