This latest blog, written by Michelle Tindale, Director of Academy and Advisory, offers her perspective on how training and continued development strengthen professional competence across accredited environments.
-
Link copied to clipboard
When we talk about training, it’s easy to picture a single moment in time — a few focused days spent learning new concepts, developing technical skills, before leaving with a renewed sense of clarity. But as anyone who has attended one of our courses will tell you, the real learning is consolidated afterwards when it is put into practice.
At the UKAS Academy, we see training as the start of a relationship, not the end of a transaction. It’s one of the key reasons we offer free post-course clinics to every learner who has attended one of our qualifying courses within the past 12 months. These sessions are not simply “follow-up calls”; they’re interactive, trainer-led clinics that combine live discussion and peer learning, encouraging delegates to explore their own solutions through guided questions and shared experience. The clinics are structured opportunities for learners to bring specific queries, examples or implementation challenges directly to our experts for clarification and guidance. Rather than repeating course content, they focus on practical application and common pitfalls observed in accredited settings, helping to bridge the gap between theory and practice, enabling professionals to embed what they’ve learned into the real-world challenges of accredited environments.
Learning that continues when the course ends
Every month, on the first Friday, our trainers host live web-based clinics — open forums where recent learners can return to ask questions, test their understanding and seek reassurance as they begin to apply their new skills.
“We know that when learners return to their laboratories or services, that’s when the real questions start to arise,” says Kayleigh Carr, UKAS Academy Training Manager. “The post-course clinics are a chance for them to check their interpretation, talk through examples, and gain confidence that they’re applying standards correctly in practice.”
The clinics are open to learners from across our training portfolios and for many, these sessions are the moment that complex concepts start to click.
“I attended the Laboratory Internal Audit course earlier this year, and while the course itself was brilliant, I still had questions once I started auditing within my own organisation,” explains one recent delegate from a UKAS-accredited testing facility. “When I joined the post-course clinic, I was able to talk directly to the trainer about my approach, and that conversation gave me the clarity I needed to move forward with confidence.”
According to Laura Booth (Operations Accreditation Specialist and one of the UKAS Academy’s healthcare trainers) this is exactly the kind of outcome the clinics are designed for.
“Our delegates want to get it right — they’re not just learning for compliance, they’re learning to improve how their systems work,” she says. “Sometimes all it takes is a short conversation to turn uncertainty into confidence.”
A community built on shared learning and trust
Beyond learning support, the post-course clinics foster something equally valuable: connection. Delegates often reconnect with peers from their courses, share experiences, and explore different approaches to similar challenges.
“There’s a real sense of community that develops in these sessions,” notes Rachel Boyer-Blanchard, Senior Commercial Training Specialist at the UKAS Academy. “Learners realise they’re not alone — others are facing the same implementation questions or resource pressures. Seeing that shared experience helps them feel supported and motivated to keep going.”
Supporting professional competence and career development
At the heart of these clinics lies a simple but vital principle: learning should not stop at the end of a course. The UKAS Academy strives to ensure that every professional who completes a course can continue to develop, refine and apply their skills with confidence long after the training ends.
“When people grow, the quality of their work and their organisations’ confidence grows with them,” Michelle reflects. “That’s why our support doesn’t stop when the course ends. We help professionals build judgement, rigour, and resilience — and the post course clinics are one of the ways we achieve this.”
Join a post-course clinic
If you’ve attended a qualifying UKAS Academy course in the past 12 months, you can join an upcoming clinic free of charge. Sessions are typically held on the first Friday of each month and last one hour.
Click here to book your space and continue your learning journey.