Defence College of Communications and Information Systems
Encyclopedia
The Defence College of Communications and Information Systems (DCCIS) was formed on 1 April 2004 as one of 6 United Kingdom Ministry of Defence
Training Establishments (DTEs) introduced to deliver coherent and cost effective training across defence. DCCIS's mission is:
The College consists of a headquarters based at Blandford Camp
in Dorset
, the Royal Navy
CIS Training Unit at HMS Collingwood
, Fareham, Hampshire, The Royal School of Signals at Blandford Camp and the Royal Air Force
Number 1 Radio School
, collocated with the headquarters of the Defence College of Aeronautical Engineering
at Cosford, of which the Aerial Erector School at RAF Digby
is a part. DCCIS reports to 22 (Training) Group RAF
.
The three schools deliver a wide range of basic and advanced training in communications and information systems to British servicemen and women and international defence students. Overall the College delivers over 300 different course types, from short equipment-specific courses to Bachelor
and Masters
degrees. It also delivers training in military skills, command and leadership management courses alongside its technical courses, and standalone packages to Royal Signals NCO
s and warrant officer
s from the Army
.
DCCIS has an established staff of 1,569 (948 military, 629 civil service) instructional, management and support staff. In 2007/2008 it delivered over 350,000 man training days to an average student population of 1,600. Its annual operating budget is in the order of £48.4 million.
As part of the Defence Training Rationalisation programme, plans are being made to collocate the DCCIS elements at RAF St Athan in south Wales
in 2014, together with the Defence Colleges of Electro-mechanical Engineering
and Aeronautical Engineering
. This will be part of a commercial partnership with Metrix UK
, an industrial consortium, which should see the delivery of the first genuine Defence, rather than single-Service, training courses.
DCCIS also administers Blandford Camp
, a 1200 acres (4.9 km²) site home to 10 other organisations, mostly CIS related, with a total staff of over 1,000. The camp includes 500 service family houses, accommodation for a further 2,000 single or unaccompanied personnel, and a wide range of social amenities. The site includes within its boundaries 3 Sites of Special Scientific Interest, 9 Scheduled Ancient Monuments' and 9 Sites of Nature Conservation Interest.
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
Training Establishments (DTEs) introduced to deliver coherent and cost effective training across defence. DCCIS's mission is:
- to train servicemen and women to deliver information and communication services on and in support of operations.
The College consists of a headquarters based at Blandford Camp
Blandford Camp
Blandford Camp is a military base comprising some 390 hectares of downland lying 2 miles north-east of Blandford Forum in the county of Dorset in southern England....
in Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
, the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
CIS Training Unit at HMS Collingwood
HMS Collingwood (establishment)
For ships of the same name see HMS Collingwood.HMS Collingwood is a stone frigate of the Royal Navy. It is the lead establishment of the Maritime Warfare School and the largest naval training organisation in Western Europe...
, Fareham, Hampshire, The Royal School of Signals at Blandford Camp and the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
Number 1 Radio School
Number 1 Radio School
Number 1 Radio School is currently based at RAF Cosford and forms part of the Defence College of Communications and Information Systems.- History :...
, collocated with the headquarters of the Defence College of Aeronautical Engineering
Defence College of Aeronautical Engineering
The Defence College of Aeronautical Engineering provides training for aircraft engineering officers and tradesmen across the three British armed forces.-History:...
at Cosford, of which the Aerial Erector School at RAF Digby
RAF Digby
RAF Digby is a Royal Air Force station which, since March 2005, has been operated by the Ministry of Defence's Joint Service Signals Organisation, part of the Intelligence Collection Group. Formerly a training and fighter airfield, it is currently a tri-service military signals installation located...
is a part. DCCIS reports to 22 (Training) Group RAF
No. 22 Group RAF
Number 22 Group is one of only three groups currently active in the Royal Air Force, falling under the responsibility of Deputy Commander-in-Chief in Air Command. Its current full title is Number 22 Group and it is responsible for RAF training policy and controlling the Royal Air Force College...
.
The three schools deliver a wide range of basic and advanced training in communications and information systems to British servicemen and women and international defence students. Overall the College delivers over 300 different course types, from short equipment-specific courses to Bachelor
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
and Masters
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
degrees. It also delivers training in military skills, command and leadership management courses alongside its technical courses, and standalone packages to Royal Signals NCO
Non-commissioned officer
A non-commissioned officer , called a sub-officer in some countries, is a military officer who has not been given a commission...
s and warrant officer
Warrant Officer
A warrant officer is an officer in a military organization who is designated an officer by a warrant, as distinguished from a commissioned officer who is designated an officer by a commission, or from non-commissioned officer who is designated an officer by virtue of seniority.The rank was first...
s from the Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
.
DCCIS has an established staff of 1,569 (948 military, 629 civil service) instructional, management and support staff. In 2007/2008 it delivered over 350,000 man training days to an average student population of 1,600. Its annual operating budget is in the order of £48.4 million.
As part of the Defence Training Rationalisation programme, plans are being made to collocate the DCCIS elements at RAF St Athan in south Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
in 2014, together with the Defence Colleges of Electro-mechanical Engineering
Defence College of Electro-Mechanical Engineering
The Defence College of Electro-Mechanical Engineering was formed on 1 April 2004 as one of five Defence Training Establishments introduced to deliver coherent and cost effective training across the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence...
and Aeronautical Engineering
Defence College of Aeronautical Engineering
The Defence College of Aeronautical Engineering provides training for aircraft engineering officers and tradesmen across the three British armed forces.-History:...
. This will be part of a commercial partnership with Metrix UK
Metrix UK
Metrix UK Ltd is a joint venture company, originally a 50/50 equity partnership between QinetiQ and LandSecurities Trillium, specifically set up to bid for the two main contracts under the UK Government's 2001 Defence Training Review rationalisation programme...
, an industrial consortium, which should see the delivery of the first genuine Defence, rather than single-Service, training courses.
DCCIS also administers Blandford Camp
Blandford Camp
Blandford Camp is a military base comprising some 390 hectares of downland lying 2 miles north-east of Blandford Forum in the county of Dorset in southern England....
, a 1200 acres (4.9 km²) site home to 10 other organisations, mostly CIS related, with a total staff of over 1,000. The camp includes 500 service family houses, accommodation for a further 2,000 single or unaccompanied personnel, and a wide range of social amenities. The site includes within its boundaries 3 Sites of Special Scientific Interest, 9 Scheduled Ancient Monuments' and 9 Sites of Nature Conservation Interest.