Bob Craig Learning & Development
Bob Craig Learning and Development Ltd, (BCLD) was established in 2011 as an educational consultancy specialising in Further Education, and since then they have helped over 100 FE and Sixth Form Colleges (SFC).
About BCLD
Our help has been in the form of (i) delivering training sessions (in house or on-line), (ii) undertaking consultancy projects (eg: Improving GSCE maths and English outcomes for learners; Supported Experiments, Peer Observations and other Quality Improvement initiatives; 1:2:1 coaching and training for aspiring managers, new HoDs, senior leaders, advanced practitioners and other cohorts) and (iii) delivering accredited coaching qualifications on behalf of the ILM (Institute of Leadership and Management).
Outside of FE and SFCs, BCLD have supported schools, local authorities, ACAS, BUPA, Rolls Royce, Smurfit Kappa, the AA and in 2014, led a major culture change and training delivery project with the MoD, transforming how the Army, Royal Navy and RAF deliver technical training, from an instructional approach to a more student-centred approach, drawing on evidence based TLA methods.
When BCLD is commissioned to deliver a training session or consultancy piece of work, a conversation will be held (and advice given, if requested) about how to make it more likely that the ‘event’ leads to behaviour change and improvements in practice. This is because colleges invest a lot of time and money on training (commissioning externals like BCLD and deploying Advanced Practitioners and internal staff) but often do not engage in effective follow up activities, so good intentions are forgotten and lost, as day-to-day issues take over.
Whilst most of the work for BCLD has been delivered by Bob Craig, over the years he has collaborated with distinguished colleagues such as Geoff Petty, Andy Vass and Beej Kaczmarczyk, and organisations such as the AoC and Minds Ahead. Probably the main testament to BCLDs effectiveness is that over 90% of their work is repeat-work with highly satisfied clients or recommendations from them to other organisations.
BCLD continue to collaborate with sector leaders, such as
Sandra McManus, Deputy Principal at The Sixth Form College, Bolton, until 09/24 and founder of Sandra McManus Consultancy.
About Bob
“My primary objective is usually to help staff and students to become curious about themselves, other people and about what they wish to learn or develop.
Curiosity goes hand in hand with a spirit of inquiry, empathy and experimentation and is associated with goal-orientation, resilience and learning.
Curious people are driven by a strong sense of purpose and personal fulfilment, and can self-coach, problem solve and inspire others around them, as role models, leaders and mentors”.
As I get older and my ambition to Captain Scotland in a World Cup Final, to run the London Marathon in under two hours and fly across the Peak District wearing a Wingsuit look less and less likely, I take every opportunity to engage in long distance walking, enjoying the physicality, being outside with nature and having time to think (or not to think and just switch off). In 2018, I walked from Lands End to John O’Groats raising money for a homelessness charity in Sheffield.
I live in Chesterfield with my wife Debra and am currently writing a book: ‘Cultivating the humble superpower of curiosity, as a catalyst for learning, critical thinking and citizenship’.