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:
- 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 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 NCOs and warrant officers 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 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.
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