Capability and Acquisition Practitioner: Strategic Direction and Capability Planning

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This course is delivered via Microsoft Teams or in-person by Cranfield University at the Defence Academy, Shrivenham. It brings together personnel employed in capability and acquisition (CAPAC) management from different areas of the Defence Operating Model. You will engage in seminars, tutorials, and exercises to practice and consolidate skills and knowledge.

This course is suitable if you are involved in:

• the development of integrated reviews, their translation into direction and guidance for the commands and enablers
• the allocation of outputs/strategic requirements and resource envelopes
• the assurance of capability coherence across the environments
• balancing resources against defence priorities to develop an affordable defence plan

It is also suitable if you work at desk officer level in finance and military capability areas at Head Office or are involved in the working of the capability management and capability planning groups of portfolio offices at the commands and enablers.

What you will learn

The aim of CAPAC Strategic Direction and Capability Planning is to enable military and civilian staff from Head Office, Front Line Commands and enabling organisations to acquire an understanding of the MOD's CAPAC and financial management processes, their application in the development and generation of affordable and strategy-compliant force structures and capabilities.

You will examine project, programme and portfolio management, requirements management, systems engineering and other well-established bodies of knowledge which are critical to delivering value for money to the MOD.

Modules include:

• strategic direction to the development and generation of sustainable military capabilities
• strategic force development
• finance
• capability coherence and strategic balance of investment

How this course will help your career

The CAPAC Strategic Direction and Capability Planning builds on existing knowledge or acquired learning from the CAPAC fundamentals and awareness training. Successful completion of this course will further develop your CAPAC knowledge and skills and set the foundation to become one of the next generation of leaders and managers that deliver military capabilities to the front line and support them through life.

If you successfully complete the course, you will be awarded the CAPAC 'awareness' education competency. This training will facilitate progression to practitioner level and the opportunity for line managers to award the FKSE 'practitioner' competency through the annual reporting system.

What our students have said…

"I found this course very useful for understanding the context of my role within the Defence Operating Model and understanding others' responsibilities in the various aspects of acquisition."

"The instructors were excellent, patient, knowledgeable, and made the course incredibly engaging."

Who can attend this course

• Military
• MOD civil servants
• Industry
• Internationals

Before you attend

You are required to complete the online Defence Learning Environment (DLE) training sessions prior to attending any practitioner course.

• CAPAC Fundamentals (DLE code CAF)
• Capability and Acquisition Awareness Course (cranfield.ac.uk) should also be considered by individuals who are new to the CAPAC field to ensure the foundations are set in preparation for building knowledge on the Practitioner courses.
• Financial Skills Certificate
• Commercial Awareness for Non-Commercial Officers
• Social Values training Government Commercial College: Log in to the site (govcommercialcollege.co.uk) (Individuals will have to register for an account if they don't already have one).

Before attending you should also familiarise yourselves with 'How Defence Works' available on the gov.uk website.

How the course will be taught

• Face-to-face/Residential
• Online (Virtual)

How you will be assessed

There is no exam associated with this course, although you will have the opportunity to test your understanding during syndicate workshops and tutorials.