Brett is one of our highly qualified Lead Trainers operating from Colchester in Essex and has been with Nuco Training since 2022.
When did you first learn first aid and why?
In 1999 I joined the British Army – Royal Engineers, where I was trained in ‘battlefield first aid’, which included basic life support and the use of haemostatic bandages and tourniquets; this continued to be part of the Army’s annual training requirement. In 2006 prior to deploying to Afghanistan, I developed my ‘battlefield first aid’ knowledge and skills further by completing a ‘Team Medics’ course, which qualified me to be able to provide advanced life support to my team members, in the heat of battle, until they were able to reach expert medical care.
In April 2022 I completed a First Response Emergency Care course as part of a Hostile Environment Close Protection Officers’ course, which would enable me to provide advanced life support should the situation dictate.
What made you choose to become a first aid instructor/trainer?
2008 was my first experience of becoming an instructor, in multiple disciplines, including battlefield first aid’, prior to being posted for two years to an Army Training Regiment (ATR), where my job was to turn civilians into soldiers. It was at this point I realised how rewarding being a trainer was and the sense of achievement you get from helping others unlock their true potential and achieve their goals.
The journey as a trainer continued, where I deployed to Afghanistan as an advisor and mentor to the Afghan National Army, and upon return, I completed another year at an ATR.
In 2013 I decided I wanted to further myself as an Army trainer, so I transferred to the Military Corrective Training Centre, in Colchester. Within six months I qualified as Home Office Control and Restraint, and self defence instructor, and finally in 2014 I completed the Advanced First Aid Instructors course with Nuco Training, which enabled me to deliver First Aid at Work courses, in-house, to all the staff.
Since retiring from the Army, after nearly 23 years’ service, I have become a Lead Trainer for Nuco Training Ltd and I deliver ‘train the trainer’ courses in First Aid, First Aid for Mental Health, and Safeguarding.
What would you say to someone considering becoming a first aid trainer?
If you have a passion for developing others and would like to be able to pass on extremely important life skills, I would highly recommend that you consider becoming a first aid trainer. Contact Nuco for the plethora of courses available, and should you decide to become a trainer, Nuco will not only support you along the way to achieving your goals, but will also provide ongoing support.
