Are there any respected certifiations besides NRA for Training?
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There really isn't anything else to the level of the NRA that has the same type of supporting infrastructure like insurance plans, etc. There are a number of other schools that offer instructor's courses, however how they may be regarded is a matter of who you ask. Generally, Paul Howe of CSAT is extremely well-regarded in the industry. Passing his instructor course and getting the certificate does mean something to those that know who he is, however he's not as visible as the NRA of course.
Honestly, most NRA courses are pretty lackluster IMO, and in many cases they don't really prepare you to teach modern, efficient, and relevant material. Considering the size of the NRA, it's understandable these things won't always be state of the art and 100% current, though personally I think they could make a lot of improvement. NRA certs are like degrees, you don't seem to get taken seriously without one, however having one doesn't necessarily mean anything about the quality of the instructor. I've known people that have had multiple MBA's from ivy league institutions that couldn't even grasp some fairly simple common sense concepts. Funny thing is, a friend of mine took the Basic Pistol Instructor course and I got to see his workbook. I can tell you that there is material in the workbook that is flat out wrong, out of date by 50yrs, etc. Some of their "correct" answers are 100% incorrect, non-issues, or completely irrelevant.
IMO, if you are looking to become a professional instructor, bite the bullet and take the NRA basic pistol instructor course. It's going to be about ~$200-300+ depending on what instructor you go with, and it's ~20-22hrs total I believe. So a 2 day course plus waiting ~6-8 weeks for your certificate, then you are certified, and then you can take advantage of the NRA's liability insurance policies which are inexpensive and easy to setup. It sucks that there isn't an easier and higher quality way to go, but I would just do it and get it over with then move on to bigger and better things. Believe me, I know how much it sucks. I am currently dealing with this exact same thing right now. I have skill, experience, knowledge, and personally think I have some decent instructional skills, however my experience doesn't translate into certificates, so pretty much any institution or insurance company does not take me seriously and will not even consider insuring me yet (understandable on their part from the liability standpoint). Here's the link if you want to find a course:
NRAInstructors.org - Portal for NRA certified Instructors, NRA Education and Training
If you have any questions Paul, or if you'd like any pointers to help you progress towards this, let me know. I can point you to countless helpful and high quality resources that can help you build some high quality course material for the future. Most important thing is experience. I'm not sure what your experience is, but I've found just participating in anything you can goes a long way. If you don't already, start going out to IDPA events or something of that nature as it's always good experience for the future.
Honestly, most NRA courses are pretty lackluster IMO, and in many cases they don't really prepare you to teach modern, efficient, and relevant material. Considering the size of the NRA, it's understandable these things won't always be state of the art and 100% current, though personally I think they could make a lot of improvement. NRA certs are like degrees, you don't seem to get taken seriously without one, however having one doesn't necessarily mean anything about the quality of the instructor. I've known people that have had multiple MBA's from ivy league institutions that couldn't even grasp some fairly simple common sense concepts. Funny thing is, a friend of mine took the Basic Pistol Instructor course and I got to see his workbook. I can tell you that there is material in the workbook that is flat out wrong, out of date by 50yrs, etc. Some of their "correct" answers are 100% incorrect, non-issues, or completely irrelevant.
IMO, if you are looking to become a professional instructor, bite the bullet and take the NRA basic pistol instructor course. It's going to be about ~$200-300+ depending on what instructor you go with, and it's ~20-22hrs total I believe. So a 2 day course plus waiting ~6-8 weeks for your certificate, then you are certified, and then you can take advantage of the NRA's liability insurance policies which are inexpensive and easy to setup. It sucks that there isn't an easier and higher quality way to go, but I would just do it and get it over with then move on to bigger and better things. Believe me, I know how much it sucks. I am currently dealing with this exact same thing right now. I have skill, experience, knowledge, and personally think I have some decent instructional skills, however my experience doesn't translate into certificates, so pretty much any institution or insurance company does not take me seriously and will not even consider insuring me yet (understandable on their part from the liability standpoint). Here's the link if you want to find a course:
NRAInstructors.org - Portal for NRA certified Instructors, NRA Education and Training
If you have any questions Paul, or if you'd like any pointers to help you progress towards this, let me know. I can point you to countless helpful and high quality resources that can help you build some high quality course material for the future. Most important thing is experience. I'm not sure what your experience is, but I've found just participating in anything you can goes a long way. If you don't already, start going out to IDPA events or something of that nature as it's always good experience for the future.
There really isn't anything else to the level of the NRA that has the same type of supporting infrastructure like insurance plans, etc. There are a number of other schools that offer instructor's courses, however how they may be regarded is a matter of who you ask. Generally, Paul Howe of CSAT is extremely well-regarded in the industry. Passing his instructor course and getting the certificate does mean something to those that know who he is, however he's not as visible as the NRA of course.
Honestly, most NRA courses are pretty lackluster IMO, and in many cases they don't really prepare you to teach modern, efficient, and relevant material. Considering the size of the NRA, it's understandable these things won't always be state of the art and 100% current, though personally I think they could make a lot of improvement. NRA certs are like degrees, you don't seem to get taken seriously without one, however having one doesn't necessarily mean anything about the quality of the instructor. I've known people that have had multiple MBA's from ivy league institutions that couldn't even grasp some fairly simple common sense concepts. Funny thing is, a friend of mine took the Basic Pistol Instructor course and I got to see his workbook. I can tell you that there is material in the workbook that is flat out wrong, out of date by 50yrs, etc. Some of their "correct" answers are 100% incorrect, non-issues, or completely irrelevant.
IMO, if you are looking to become a professional instructor, bite the bullet and take the NRA basic pistol instructor course. It's going to be about ~$200-300+ depending on what instructor you go with, and it's ~20-22hrs total I believe. So a 2 day course plus waiting ~6-8 weeks for your certificate, then you are certified, and then you can take advantage of the NRA's liability insurance policies which are inexpensive and easy to setup. It sucks that there isn't an easier and higher quality way to go, but I would just do it and get it over with then move on to bigger and better things. Believe me, I know how much it sucks. I am currently dealing with this exact same thing right now. I have skill, experience, knowledge, and personally think I have some decent instructional skills, however my experience doesn't translate into certificates, so pretty much any institution or insurance company does not take me seriously and will not even consider insuring me yet (understandable on their part from the liability standpoint). Here's the link if you want to find a course:
NRAInstructors.org - Portal for NRA certified Instructors, NRA Education and Training
If you have any questions Paul, or if you'd like any pointers to help you progress towards this, let me know. I can point you to countless helpful and high quality resources that can help you build some high quality course material for the future. Most important thing is experience. I'm not sure what your experience is, but I've found just participating in anything you can goes a long way. If you don't already, start going out to IDPA events or something of that nature as it's always good experience for the future.
Thanks for the well thought out and sincere response. I do believe I am going to take your suggestion and take the Basic Pistol Instructors course. I will also look at Paul Howe. I have also thought about the IDPA events. I'm going to need to find some close to me. I live in the Trophy Club which is basically in the middle of Fort Worth or Dallas. Thanks again. I appreciate the good info.
