BDA Training & Education Sub-Committee – Precis of November 2025 Meeting

November 26, 2025

The BDA Training & Education Sub-Committee met during the second week in November, to review progress on the Super Sector Scheme, develop the Route to Competence framework, and plan upcoming training materials, videos and technical publications.

Key Highlights:

Super Sector Scheme and Route to Competence – Faye Burnett (Guest) joined the meeting to discuss the wider industry vision for competence, highlighting the need to document both known challenges and the ideal BDA pathway. The BDA agreed to produce a draft “Route to Competence” for external review, covering progression from new entrant to lead driller, validation routes, and the role of CSCS/BSI/MPQC.

Supervisor Training – The sub-committee discussed when SSSTS/IOSH training should be undertaken, noting differing responsibilities between Lead Drillers and Drilling Supervisors.

Training Videos – The “Life of a Sample” video is now live. The committee proposed a series of short pre-use inspection videos (3–4 in total), covering sonic and rotary rigs. A separate hydraulic hose video is planned.

Publications – Upcoming technical publications may include bite-size guidance on dynamic sampling, cage and guard/pin usage, rotary/CP rig features, and lifting tables from DOSIWIG. Line drawings of rigs were suggested to support clearer understanding of layouts and key components.