Defence College of Communications and Information Systems
The Defence School of Communications and Information Systems (DSCIS) was formed on 1 April 2004 as one of 6 United Kingdom Ministry of Defence Training Establishments (DTEs), or Colleges, introduced to deliver coherent and cost effective training across defence. In 2012 it joined three other technical training colleges under a combined organisation, the Defence College of Technical Training, and reverted in title to being a Defence School. DSCIS's mission is:
- to train and educate information and communications engineers, technicians and operators in order to meet the requirements of Defence and needs of trainees now and into the future..
The Defence School consists of a headquarters and 11th The Royal School of Signals Signal Regiment at Blandford Camp in Dorset and the Royal Air Force No. 1 Radio School RAF, at RAF Cosford, the home of RAF engineering. A satellite of the Radio School is the Aerial Erector School at RAF Digby. DSCIS reports to the Defence College of Technical Training (DCTT) which, in turn, is part of 22 Group RAF.
The three schools deliver a wide range of initial and advanced technical training in communications and information systems, and leadership training, to British servicemen and women and international defence students. Overall the School offers 180 different course types, from short equipment-specific courses to Bachelor degrees. It offers a key contribution to modern apprenticeships for the Royal Corps of Signals and the Royal Air Force's Trade Group 4, as well as delivering the academic foundation needed for registration with professional institutes.
DSCIS staff are a rich mix of military, civil service and contractors covering instructional, management and support functions. It consumes approximately 200,000 training days to an average student population of 1,100.
DSCIS also administers Blandford Camp, a 1,200-acre (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.