Testimonials
Tony Belgrave
Before attending the course I was a Machine Tool Maintenance Engineer at Rolls-Royce PLC, I had been interested in entering aid work and specifically Mine Action for some time before I discovered MAT Mondial’s courses online.
Just 4 days after returning to the UK I had my first EOD job interview for a contract I started the following week-
I found several training providers that offered IMAS training but I opted to train with MAT because they are an active mine clearance organisation, they use former DEODs instructors to deliver the course and I thought it would be a more valuable experience doing my training in a mine affected country.
I attended both the IMAS Level 2 FTA and Level 3 EOD Technician courses back to back. The courses were split fairly evenly between classroom and practical lessons with confirmatory tests each week and two range days where we performed live demolitions. The atmosphere at the school was professional yet relaxed and welcoming. The staff, local and international, were all very friendly and keen to help the students with any queries.
I had not visited the Balkans before my IMAS training and was unsure what to expect. The training school is located in the mountain fringed city of Peja near the Montenegrin and Albanian boarders and is well placed for exploratory weekend trips within Kosovo or to neighbouring countries. Despite the heavy damage it sustained during the war and much of it being rebuilt Peja manages to maintain some of its old city charm. The local brew of Kosovo, Birra Peja, is also very reasonably priced at under a euro for 0.5l….
I feel my qualifications will enable me to find work in HMA despite not having a military background and have already recommended the courses to some of my friends who are interested. Just 4 days after returning to the UK I had my first EOD job interview for a contract I started the following week to clear a WW2 tank and mortar firing range in Norfolk. One month later I was preparing to deploy to Iraq as a Field Supervisor!
Chris Collins
I’d like to thank you for having given me the opportunity to attend the recent course FTA/EOD 2 from 01 March to 26 March 2010, held in Kosovo.
Due to the instructors’ excellent methods of teaching I found I could understand it quite well and had no need to call upon their out of hours services.-
I found, personally, that the method of teaching was very informative and easy to comprehend.
Please could you pass on my profound gratitude to the instructors, Paul Wright and Gary Elmer, for both the style and method of imparting the information and their understanding.
If you could be so kind to extend also my thanks to the security team and to Arben, the facility’s manager for the help and services provided.
I do feel, after attending this course, that this has reinforced my vocation for the future. I did feel very comfortable with the work expected of me and the instructors were more than willing to come (out of hours) to assist in understanding any part of the course that I may have struggled with.
Due to the instructors’ excellent methods of teaching I found I could understand it quite well and had no need to call upon their out of hours services.
Therefore I would like to thank everyone concerned with the course in Kosovo.
Yours faithfully
Chris Collins
Conrad Botha
The training has made me more aware of the overall picture, and has made me more marketable as a result.-
“I have been working in Mine Action, with Detection Dogs, for some years – I thought I had better get on a course which would enable me to better understand minefield management and to enhance my own personal skill set.
So in 2009 I did the FTA/EOD 2 course, and in June 2010 I will be doing my EOD L3 course in Kosovo. The training has made me more aware of the overall picture, and has made me more marketable as a result.”
Conrad Botha – South African – Mine Action.
Mick Trant
After my experiences on the MAT Mondial courses, I would recommend them to anyone as their first positive step towards building a career in Mine Action.-
In July of 2008 I attended the MAT Mondial Field Technical Advisors course followed, in August, by the IMAS level 3 EOD Course.
I had been in The Defence Forces of Ireland for 16 years and had left to pursue other possible career options in 2001. I had various jobs in the period before I undertook the Mine Action training and left the military. I decided to try and update my CV by finding a course, or courses, relevant to HMA and to make myself conversant with International Mine Action Standards (IMAS). Next stop, Google!
I came accross MAT Mondial’s website, which was advertising FTA and Level 3 EOD Courses and, after speaking to Ben Remfrey, I booked on to both courses.
The courses were hard work, informative, interesting and fun. The instructors were well versed in the subject matter, having been former UK Military EOD instructors, and also very experienced in HMA, and having themselves worked for several years as Field Technical Advisors with various well reputed Mine Action NGOs.
Both courses culminated with large planning and excution excercises and with live explosive demolitions on well run training areas with excellent training facilities and aids.
I was lucky enough to be offered a post with the Danish Demining Group (DDG) almost immediatly after the course and, within 2 weeks, I found myself in Uganda supervising 12 EOD teams in the north of the country. During that time I also went to Somaliland to assist in training 5 EOD level 2 Teams for the DDG programme there. In mid 2009 we also started mine clearance operations in the Agoro mountains near the Sudanese border.
In November of 2009 I was transferred to Sri Lanka to become the Technical Advisor for DDG operations in the Jaffna area of the north. I supervise and manage a large area, with an operational staff of just over 350 people.
A career in Mine Action can be difficult, with very basic and tough living and working conditions, limited time off and I spend long periods away from my home and family. It is, however, worth the effort, because if you do manage it, you will have a career that is varied, well paid, interesting and immensely rewarding.
After my experiences on the MAT Mondial courses, I would recommend them to anyone as their first positive step towards building a career in Mine Action.
Mick Trant, Field Technical Advisor, Danish Demining Group, Jaffna, Sri Lanka. September 2010
Bob George
I thank everyone involved in MAT Mondial and congratulate you on the facilities and education that you offer and I would gladly recommend your courses to any interested party.-
As someone who had no previous experience in the demining /EOD industry, it took some time to gain the advice and information as to how to become involved. Both Ben and Heather, at MAT Mondial’s HQ in Guernsey, were more than helpful and I decided to enroll on the IMAS LEVEL 2 Field Technical Advisor course and the IMAS EOD Level 3 course, which MAT Mondial run in the town of Peja, Kosovo. I attended the MAT Mondial EOD & Demining School from 9th August – 1st October 2010.
As a complete novice I was obviously a little apprehensive about what I was getting into but all the staff at the training centre welcomed and encouraged me, from the start. I found the whole training informative, fascinating and taught in such an outstanding format and manner, that I was able to learn quickly and comprehensively. All of the staff have a great knowledge of the whole industry, which they were keen to share, and so there was always someone available for me to question if I was unsure about anything.
There were seven of us on the course, out of which two of us had no previous experience, the other five being already in the industry for some time in their home country of Sri Lanka. All of us found the course to be of tremendous value and it gave us a confidence and understanding, meaning we all qualified and came away with the necessary knowledge and skills to progress further.
After completing the IMAS LEVEL 2 Field Technical Advisor course in August 2010, I remained at MAT Mondial’s Kosovo training facility to undertake the EOD level 3 training. All the knowledge I had acquired during the previous month’s FTA course had given me a good basic understanding of demining and EOD and this was vital as the level 3 course deals in much greater depth in all the aspects that I had learnt.
Again the knowledge and availability of all staff proved invaluable during the whole time that I was studying and their understanding and encouragement made learning a pleasure. Due to the complex nature of the subjects to be studied, the first week or two is quite intensive, with a vast amount of information to learn but the instructor, Gary Elmer, has a superb approach to the structure and programming of the course, so all the information can be easily absorbed and remembered. He also instills a confidence and understanding that shows itself in all students during the practical aspects of the course. This approach to teaching, coupled with his vast knowledge of all aspects of the industry, made learning fun, exciting and easy to absorb, while ensuring we were taught the correct practices and procedures to ensure the safety of ourselves and others.
After successfully completing the two courses, I now possess the necessary qualifications and confidence to enter into the industry in a technical capacity, which I am currently in the process of trying to achieve. I have gone from a complete novice to now having the basic skills, knowledge and confidence needed to start and progress further in the demining / EOD theatre and this is purely due to MAT Mondial and its entire staff. Thank you all for your time, encouragement and commitment and I hope that you may continue to inspire others like me to try and make a difference.
I thank everyone involved in MAT Mondial and congratulate you on the facilities and education that you offer and I would gladly recommend your courses to any interested party.
Bob George. October 2010
Jeff Boddy
The support from MAT Mondial is second to none and goes far beyond just providing you a course. I can’t recommend these blokes enough and will certainly be coming back to do my EOD level 4 certificate..-
After completing 18 years service with the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) as an underwater mine warfare expert, I decided to take the plunge and pursue a career in Mine Action. I had been interested in the field for some time as I felt that it would be a suitable career for me, and that I might be able to transfer some of my current skills above water.
I did some thorough research and decided that MAT Mondial offered the best training for my needs. They provided both an IMAS recognised EOD2 and 3 course, as well as accommodation and meals. Both Ben and Heather from MAT Mondial were extremely helpful in assisting me with my course registration and answered any and all questions quickly and precisely. I enrolled and attended my courses between May and August 2010.
The Level 2 and 3 courses were conducted by suitably qualified former British DEOD instructors in an extremely welcoming environment. The course synopsis was quite thorough, and provided me with all the information required to proceed with a career in mine action. There was a very good mix of theory and practical subjects, and the instructor had significant experience in civilian mine action operations. The training included live range days so students could gain experience in using explosives, as well as practical theory and use of a range of detectors and methods employed by civilian mine action companies. The facilities and accommodation are outstanding and being situated in Kosovo gave us a chance to see how real mine action operations are carried out. This is something that other course providers are unable to do.
On completion of the course I was offered a job almost immediately with FSD but was unfortunately unable to accept it due to my commitment with the RAN. Within a month after my discharge I was able to gain employment with G4S as a Team Leader in South Sudan, and am now currently working in Juba. It’s a challenging life, and not a job for the faint hearted, but it is rewarding.
Thank you to the staff at MAT Mondial for all the knowledge, guidance and assistance in helping me to achieve my goals. Also thank you to Heather and Michael for replacing my certificates after they were damaged in a flood, and also to Ben for your assistance in securing an interview. The support from MAT Mondial is second to none and goes far beyond just providing you a course. I can’t recommend these blokes enough and will certainly be coming back to do my EOD level 4 certificate.
Jeff Boddy. March 2011
Urs Brechbuehler
Within a short time period I found employment with a non-governmental organization that conducts humanitarian demining and was hired as a Technical Advisor for Afghanistan.-
After several years in the Swiss Armed Forces, as an Infantry Officer, and working as a Project Manager in developing countries later on, I decided to look for a way to combine my previous military experience with my management skills. Soon, my mind was made up to pursue a career in Mine Action, as I have always been interested in doing this.
I conducted some research, in order to find a place that provides the best training for my needs. Finally, I decided to enrol for the IMAS EOD level 2 course in 2010 with MAT Mondial. The administrative process prior to the training was very efficient and assistance was provided, whenever needed, from the friendly MAT Mondial team.
During my level 2 course, excellent training was conducted with a good combination of theory, practical tasks and tips, based on experience, by former British military EOD Instructors.
Due to time restraints, I was not able to do the IMAS EOD level 3 course in the same year. However, in 2011 I returned and was welcomed at the MAT Mondial training facility in Kosovo again; it felt like I had never been away. I always appreciated the hospitality and the family atmosphere at MAT Mondial.
While attending my level 3 course, I was able to improve my knowledge and gained a lot of practical information in regard to International Mine Action Standards (IMAS) and the operational application of them.
After successfully completing the two courses, I possessed the knowledge and confidence to start working in the civilian mine action sector. Therefore, within a short time period I found employment with a non-governmental organization that conducts humanitarian demining and was hired as a Technical Advisor for Afghanistan.
I thank everyone at MAT Mondial for their fantastic courses and can recommend the training to anyone that is interested in working within Mine Action. The facility in Kosovo is centrally located and easy to find; the instructors are great and the office staff are always helpful and supportive. I really enjoyed my time during the courses and the friendly atmosphere. Definitely I will come back to do my IMAS EOD level 4 course with MAT Mondial. The training is truly second to none.
Urs Brechbuehler
FTA-3-10 & EOD3-1-11 Courses
