He was awarded the City and Guilds Graduateship in Youth Management and Training by Admiral the Lord West of Spithead who presented the award in front of colleagues, family and friends. The achievement is comparable to a Bachelors Degree (Honours)  and was realised through work as a Cadet Force Adult Volunteer.

 

Tony has been an Army Cadet Force Instructor for twelve years, serving with both Suffolk  and Cambridgeshire ACF. Although he had served in the regular and Auxiliary RAF, Tony had never envisaged becoming a cadet instructor - but joined when his son became a cadet. He enrolled for the City and Guilds Graduateship in Youth Management and Training with CVQO after being made aware of the award during an area commander’s course. In his day job, Tony runs a small business from home and is also a visiting lecturer at a further education college teaching public services.

 

Major Tony Scales is one of 88 adult volunteers from the Ministry of Defence’s sponsored Cadet Forces across the United Kingdom to graduate with internationally recognised CVQO awards from City & Guilds. Successful completion of these awards recognises at least five years of professional development and managerial experience.

 

Speaking at the award ceremony, Lt. Colonel Edward Woods, Chief Executive of CVQO, praised the volunteers’ efforts saying: “The qualifications attained are held in very high regard. Not only do they demonstrate the importance and quality of the training that adults receive through cadet training courses, but they are highly valued within the world of work. We are immensely proud of all you have accomplished and we wish you well for continued success. ”

 

The lifelong learning opportunities available through CVQO and the cadet movement in general, remain very much at the forefront of government thinking. Through it’s fundraising activities CVQO continually seeks to expand what it can offer to young people and adults alike.    

 

Story by Captain Michael Nolan