Why Professional Development Matters in IPAF Training

When people think about IPAF training, they naturally focus on the operators being trained. What is often less visible is the ongoing development that takes place behind the scenes to ensure instructors remain up to date, training standards remain consistent, and courses continue to reflect current industry requirements.

One of the ways this is achieved is through IPAF's Professional Development Seminars (PDS), which bring instructors together from across the country to discuss updates, share knowledge and reinforce the standards that sit behind every IPAF course. As part of our ongoing interview series, we recently sat down with Paul Roddis, Training Manager at IPAF, alongside our own Training Manager, Adele Coupe, who attended the latest seminar.

The Best Instructors Never Stop Learning

When discussing the value of Professional Development Seminars, Paul was clear about their importance "IPAF instructors are the best instructors in the world, hands down.” He went on to explain that bringing instructors together, particularly face to face, provides valuable opportunities to share experiences, maintain consistency and continue developing professionally.

For customers, that ongoing development is an important part of choosing IPAF training. Standards evolve, guidance changes and the industry continues to learn from experience. Professional Development Seminars help ensure instructors remain aligned with those developments, giving training centres and customers confidence that training continues to be delivered to the highest standard.

Getting It Right First Time

One of the key messages to come from the latest seminar centred around consistency, as Adele summarised during our discussion: "Get it right first time. Documents, instructor, paperwork, the training."

At first glance, paperwork may not sound like the most exciting topic in the world. However, the wider message was about quality, professionalism and making sure every part of the training process is completed correctly. "The IPAF training whole scheme essentially is only as valuable as it is measurable." Paul said.

IPAF training is recognised as suitable and sufficient training because it follows an established process. That means instructors, training centres and operators all have a responsibility to ensure courses are delivered correctly and recorded properly.

Protecting Operators Through Quality Training

During the discussion, Paul referenced an example shared by Certora instructor, Damien during the seminar, where the Health and Safety Executive reviewed a training course and its associated documentation.

The key takeaway was not simply that paperwork had been completed, it was that the documentation demonstrated the course had been delivered correctly, the appropriate procedures had been followed and the required standards had been met. "The course had been run correctly, so was protected by that paperwork, as was IPAF and as are the people that are trained by it."

Ultimately, good training is about more than passing a test or receiving a licence, it's about creating competent operators, supporting safer workplaces and ensuring there is clear evidence that recognised standards have been followed throughout the process.

What This Means for Certora Customers

As an IPAF Training Centre since 2003, and with Adele serving on the IPAF Training Committee for the last eight years, maintaining those standards is a key part of how we deliver training.

From instructor development and quality assurance through to course administration and auditing, the focus remains the same: delivering safe, consistent and compliant training that gives employers confidence and helps operators return to site with the skills and knowledge they need to work safely.

It's also why we were particularly pleased to recently receive a commendation during our latest IPAF audit and be shortlisted for the 2026 IAPA Training Centre of the Year Award. Recognition like this reflects the effort that goes into maintaining high standards across every part of the training process.

Watch the Full Interview

Our exclusive interview with Paul Roddis explores Professional Development Seminars in more detail, including why instructor development, quality assurance and consistency remain such important parts of IPAF training.

Watch the full interview below to hear the discussion from both Paul Roddis and Adele Coupe in their own words.