Our second-year Level 3 Public and Uniformed Services students recently completed a military exercise with Royal Navy Officers Garner and Wignall, who put the students to the test, in a real-world exercise that drew upon the student’s communication, leadership and teamwork skills.
The exercise started with a brief from Officer Garner, who explained what is expected of the students during this mission, encouraging them to work together and listen to each other to complete their tasks efficiently.
Drawing from his own military career, Officer Garner emphasised the importance of clear and concise communication, highlighting the dangers of missing important information.
The students became the crew of “HMS St Helens,” assigning their own captain, who then chose a deputy. After assigning roles for everybody, the captain led his crew outside, where he received his full orders from Officer Garner.
The crew were given one hour and were tasked with moving a range of equipment from a van to a key location on the College’s second floor; the captain briefed his crew on the mission ahead, splitting the crew into two groups.
Group One prepared to move the equipment, sharing the load to allow for efficient transport, when Officer Garner made them aware of hazards they’d need to navigate on the way, such as a fire blocking, which forced the students to plan a new route. Their critical thinking skills were crucial here, helping them to quickly map out a new route to their destination that had the least impact on their delivery time.
Meanwhile, Group Two were told a civilian had been electrocuted and that they needed to navigate a mock casualty incident, isolating the electrical current, checking the pulse of an injured person and applying emergency first aid.
Utilising the skills they’ve learnt on their course, the students sprang into action, removing environmental hazards and moving the injured person to a stretcher. They also examined clues from the environment, determining the civilian’s identity.
Thanks to their impressive teamwork and communication skills, the crew of HMS St Helens completed their task within the hour. This was a rewarding and valuable experience for the students, with one student commenting “this has made me sure I want to join the Navy.”
“Visits from military personnel are invaluable to the students’ education,” Public and Uniformed Services Tutor, Kelvin, told us. “There is only so much our students can learn in a classroom environment. Getting out in the field and completing exercises like this gives them a real idea of what working life in the Armed Forces is like. They really need to put what they’ve learned into practice here, and it’s a fantastic experience they can take with them into their future careers.”
Thank you to Officers Garner and Wignall for this fantastic experience!
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