I need your assistance!
 

Hi folks. I have an amount of money available to me each year from my employer for Professional Development. Now, the definition of this where I work is quite loose and some of my colleagues have managed to get approval to attend basket-weaving courses and other activities completely unrelated to their work. I think there may be a chance I could get approval to use the fund for flying lessons and ground school, if I can word my application in a way that shows that it would benefit my career at work.

So, I'm thinking along the lines of improving my planning, decision-making and communication skills along with the benefits of becoming more logical and focused on other tasks.

Any other ideas?

Have you had a word with the 'basket weavers' to find out how they pulled it off?

Why not throw in the concept of TEM that you will be learning to assess Threats in a hostile environment, possible Errors associated with the task and how to Manage them to mitigate risk. All a new concept in the 1990s, but it was the basis of modern Flying Training pioneered by Smith Barry in 1917

Describe the course as a personal and team management and communication master class involving study of the management of human performance under physical and mental stress. Don't mention aircraft. The reason it is so expensive is that you will be trained by a team of highly qualified specialists using specialist equipment to expose you to situations requiring rapid and accurate decision making while under stress. Don't mention aircraft, but perhaps mention that your proposed course has been shown to have more effect on management outcomes than basket weaving.


(the nearest I came to pulling off such a stunt was getting a very nice bean to cup coffee maker for the IT team by describing it as a Java Compiler. This will be a whole new league, let us know how you get on.)

Tell them that the training will help your company go after work requiring specialist expertise as a directional consultant for variable speed aluminum tubing.

If it is good enough for the military.... From Purple Aviation at Eshott's webpage:

ELC Scheme - Approved provider

Are you an active or recently retired member of the Armed Forces? If so you may be eligible for grants of up to 80% off of your flight training cost with us.

Purple Aviation is an approved provider of aviation training from the Ministry of Defence. This is split into two stages...

Module 1 - £2450 (MOD to pay up to 80%) - 20 hours flight tuition, ground school as required & Aviation Law exam

Module 2 - £2300 (MOD to pay up to 80%) - 16 hours flight training, further exams for NPPL & Final General Skills Test.

This explains their scheme, but Google will also help!

https://www.moneyforce.org.uk/Your-c...arning-credits

Thank you folks. I thought it was probably a stretch but sadly I was denied. I'll have one more pop at it next week and submit another request but this time I'll quote several supporting articles I've found online.

I would recommend you ask for training to be a doctor.

Teaches you how to manage people, be sympathetic, deal with crises, and you can treat the boss's cat

Once approved and qualified you earn boodles of cash and can afford to learn to fly

I will just get my coat

Unfortunately your Standard Learning Credits (SLC) have to be used to gain a qualification (NVQ Lvl 3 etc) in a job that will benefit your unit (IIRC).I used mine to get a certain skydiving qualification, giving me a nice certificate and a red book from the FAI. Your Enhance Learning Credits (ELC) can be used to get what ever you want as long as the company is ELC registered. I looked to use mine to get my license, wait until around April to start your course and claim one years worth of ELC, and then in the May while still studying claim the next batch of ELC towards your PPL.

Im pretty sure you can get authority to claim SLC, claim against the cost of your radio license as its an official course leading to the award of a recognized qualification.

If he wants to treat the bosses cat he needs to be a vet.