I took a Mobile Elevated Work Platform (scissor lift and aerial boom lift) instructor course years ago. There were 18 people in the room. Over a multiple day course, each of us got about 10 minutes to practice teaching. Even then, I knew something was off. Now, we’re running a MEWP instructor program this week at Haland Learning.
We’ve got four people in the room. That’s our max. And before the day even starts, we’re planning around one thing: Making sure everyone gets enough time to actually teach, get feedback, and improve. Because learning how to teach isn’t something you pick up by listening. You learn it by doing it.
By trying, getting stuck, adjusting, and trying again. Class size helps determine whether that’s possible. When you’ve got 18 people in a room… You can present. You can share information. But you can’t work with each person.
- You can’t observe properly.
- You can’t coach properly.
- You can’t see who’s actually struggling.
I’ve taught big groups. There’s energy. It can be engaging. But you’re not developing instructors in that environment. You’re moving people through a process. So when we cap our instructor programs at four people for MEWP, and six for others… It’s not about being exclusive. It’s about making sure people leave actually able to do the job.
Because they’re not just attending a course. They’re going to go teach other people. And that deserves more than 10 minutes.