Water Quality Statistics (Part 2 / Practitioner) Training

The primary Audience (training recipients) for both parts will be the Environment Agency’s staff in environment planning, permitting, analysis & reporting, data and evidence teams and WQ regulatory teams (but will be available to other officers where knowledge of statistics is required).

It is expected that the audience will directly regulate activities through a various of planning assessments, audits and desk-based compliance assessments. Similarly, this training is for officers who will be assessing water quality permit applications for new water quality and changes to existing sites.

Part 1 e-learning is mandatory training for all officers, with Part 2 more targeted to officers as their confidence, breadth and role knowledge required extension to their skill sets, for example bespoke permitting applications or water quality investigational or assessment studies.

The EA are seeking a provider to deliver an online workshop, that brings the content to life in a participatory way, building on from the Part 1, foundation module. Part One is an existing, established course that will remain unchanged and is not included within the scope of this tender.

The training must include the following:

• Delivery via a virtual classroom environment on Microsoft Teams suggested across consecutive days (supplier to include in proposal if alternative delivery length and timing recommended)
• A range of subjects, from basic statistical concepts such as the statistical population and probability distributions to how to deal with common data quality issues.
• Different types of water quality standards and how compliance is assessed
• Presentations on the subject theory.
• Practical application to put the theory into use with EA examples through Excel and opportunities to analyse and interpret statistics. Note the emphasis is on interpretation of results rather than the use of the tools such as Excel.
• Structured break out rooms to provide opportunities for attendees to participate in smaller groups
• Use of knowledge check before during and after the course to help tailor delivery

The current online workshop is delivered over two consecutive days; however the EA welcomes supplier proposals for the most appropriate course length.