When I did my PTLLS I was delivering management and leadership training programmes and at the same time freelancing as a Web Developer. For this reason all my PTLLS assignments were based on two specialist areas, although they focused mostly around training and management.
I worked for a training institution based in LBWF (Waltham Forest) with their headquarters in UAE. Over there they often use the terminology 'Train the Trainer' rather than PTLLS. Surprisingly, when they first recruited me, they didn't ask me for PTLLS or any teaching certification; their main requirements for delivering training programmes to adults were a master's degree in a specialist area, bilingual and UK-based.
Why Did I Choose the PTLLS Course
Initially, a friend of mine who is a career advisor in Waltham Forest advised me to gain a teaching qualification to help me with my job, and eventually I decided to do PTLLS for many reasons:
- acquire teaching skills
- advance my career in training
- meet new people (networking)
- wanted to know my obligations as a trainer
- ambitious, and
- I enjoy writing and researching.
I was delivering lectures to staff from blue-chip companies without having a training qualification and therefore I wanted to equip myself with teaching skills and best practice. In the evenings I occasionally delivered presentations to members of a project funded by Waltham Forest council and I was ambitious PTLLS will help me advance my career and can open doors for me. Being familiar with the training industry and since I was practically delivering lectures the PTLLS course was a piece of cake.
Because I funded myself and also, time-wise I was working, for me PTLLS, as a first step toward DTLLS, was a feasible alternative to PGCE (postgraduate certificate in Education). I did gain a lot from it: it has strengthened my training skills, empowered my confidence, and it has opened doors for me in a different career path. At least, for life, I will remember the legislative requirements and the ground rules in my workplace.
Why Did I Choose PTLLS in Waltham Forest
I was certain PTLLS can be useful as it was, and I got myself enrolled with CLaSS which is a government adult learning provider in Waltham Forest offering non-funded PTLLS courses through their local centres. Beside I wanted to meet local people, the course met my priorities also because:
- It is within distance
- The dates were flexible - Wednesdays
- Gives 12 credits from City & Guilds
- Assignment and research based
The course gives twelve credits toward either level-3 or leve-4 Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector, and I chose the one the runs for 10 weeks, three hours every Wednesday. It was what I needed; close to my home, offered the qualification I needed, and gave me the opportunity to meet local people who shared the same interest.
Although PTLLS is offered by local colleges including Waltham Forest College and several other education and private institutions in the borough and also through distant learning, at the time none of the other centres close to where I live offered the course just on a Wednesday.
Every person's circumstances and aims are different, whether you are now doing your PTLLS or have already completed it you can share your reasons for choosing PTLLS in the comments section.
