Skunkworks Academy

Instructor Handbook

Version:

Skunkworks Academy (Pty) Ltd
Registration Number: 2026 / 401210 / 07
26 Second Avenue, Alberton, Gauteng, 1401, South Africa
Website:
General Contact:

Table of Contents

1. Welcome to Skunkworks Academy

Welcome to the Skunkworks Academy instructor network. As an instructor, facilitator, mentor, coach, or subject matter expert, you represent Skunkworks Academy whenever you deliver training, mentoring, consulting, boot camp support, assessments, or client-facing services.

This handbook explains the standards, processes, expectations, and professional conduct required when delivering services for Skunkworks Academy. It is intended to help instructors prepare properly, deliver consistently, support learners effectively, and protect the reputation of Skunkworks Academy and its clients.

2. Company Profile

Skunkworks Academy provides training, mentoring, consulting, workforce development, technical enablement, academy programmes, and related learning services. The company supports organisations and individuals in building practical, job-ready technology and business skills.

Skunkworks Academy’s approach combines structured training, real-world exercises, practical labs, mentoring, project-based learning, and client-specific delivery requirements. Our instructors are expected to deliver learning that is professional, practical, respectful, outcomes-focused, and aligned to the client’s objectives.

Registered Name	Skunkworks Academy (Pty) Ltd
Registration Number	2026 / 401210 / 07
Registered Address	26 Second Avenue, Alberton, Gauteng, 1401, South Africa
Main Business / Object	Business activities not restricted

3. Mission Statement

Skunkworks Academy’s mission is to deliver practical, high-quality learning experiences that help learners, teams, and organisations build skills they can apply immediately.

We aim to combine technical depth, professional instruction, hands-on learning, mentorship, and client-focused delivery to improve capability, confidence, productivity, and long-term career outcomes.

4. Educational Philosophy

Adult learners bring existing knowledge, work experience, expectations, and practical challenges into the classroom. Skunkworks Academy instructors should use that experience as part of the learning process.

• Adults generally learn best in a respectful, non-threatening, and supportive environment.
• Interactive teaching methods create more meaningful learning than lecture-only delivery.
• New knowledge should be connected to prior knowledge and real-world work scenarios.
• Training should be problem-based, practical, and relevant to the learner’s role.
• Labs, discussions, examples, and demonstrations should reinforce the course objectives.
• Instructors should encourage questions and manage the class so all learners can participate.

5. Training Tips and Professional Conduct

5.1 Always

• Review all course materials before the first day of class.
• Complete all exercises, labs, assessments, and demonstrations before delivering the course.
• Study test questions or assessment criteria, where applicable, so the required topics are covered.
• Arrive or connect early enough to verify the classroom, platform, tools, labs, audio, video, and materials.
• Report any problems, learner issues, client concerns, or platform failures to Skunkworks Academy immediately.
• Introduce yourself as a Skunkworks Academy instructor or approved delivery partner.
• Teach to the whole class, not only to the most vocal or advanced learners.
• Monitor learner progress during labs and exercises.
• Use examples that are practical, respectful, and relevant to the client environment.
• Maintain a professional tone at all times.

5.2 Never

• Tell learners that you are unprepared, inexperienced, or unfamiliar with the course.
• Criticise the client’s infrastructure, systems, tools, technology choices, staff, or processes.
• Read directly from slides or manuals for extended periods.
• Criticise course materials in front of learners or the client.
• Ignore disruptive behaviour or learner conflict.
• Embarrass a learner publicly.
• Change class start or end times without prior approval.
• Cancel a class or end a class early without Skunkworks Academy approval.
• Market your own services, employer, products, or competing offerings to Skunkworks Academy clients.
• Share personal contact details with learners unless expressly authorised.

5.3 Client Sensitivity

Instructors must remain neutral and professional when discussing tools, vendors, platforms, frameworks, client policies, or internal systems. Learners and clients may have invested heavily in specific technologies or processes. Negative comments can harm the client relationship.

5.4 Personal Relationships and Conflicts

Personal relationships with learners, client staff, or client decision-makers during an engagement may create conflicts of interest or reputational risk. Any existing or potential conflict must be disclosed to Skunkworks Academy before the engagement begins.

5.5 Representation

Instructors must represent Skunkworks Academy professionally. Unless authorised, instructors must not distribute personal business cards, promote another company, use non-approved branding, or solicit work from Skunkworks Academy clients or learners.

6. Training for Skunkworks Academy

6.1 Training Lifecycle

A typical Skunkworks Academy training engagement may include:

1. Client training request or internal programme requirement.
2. Instructor availability request.
3. Client requirement review or subject matter expert call.
4. Courseware and lab verification.
5. Instructor task order or written booking confirmation.
6. Client-specific orientation and logistics confirmation.
7. Delivery of training or mentoring.
8. Daily feedback, attendance, progress tracking, and final evaluations.
9. Post-class reporting, cleanup, invoice submission, and lessons learned.

6.2 Pre-Class Activities

For private, customised, or client-specific engagements, Skunkworks Academy may arrange a preparation call with the instructor, client, project manager, or subject matter expert. The purpose is to confirm requirements, learner profiles, expected outcomes, course scope, environment setup, and any customisation needed.

6.3 Request for Available Training Dates

Skunkworks Academy may contact instructors or vendors to request availability before a client confirms dates. Availability does not guarantee assignment. A confirmed assignment will be issued through a task order, booking confirmation, written instruction, or other approved method.

6.4 Courseware Verification

• Instructors must review all courseware before class.
• Slides, learner guides, labs, exercises, assessments, and platform access must be tested.
• All labs must be tested in the same or equivalent environment that learners will use.
• Errors or concerns must be reported before class begins.
• Courseware must not be criticised in front of learners or clients.

6.5 Learning Management System and Platforms

Skunkworks Academy may use a learning management system, learner portal, lab platform, webinar platform, assessment system, or client system to manage training delivery. Instructors must use the assigned platform and follow the instructions provided in the instructor confirmation.

LMS / Portal Name
Instructor Login URL
Support Contact

6.6 Task Orders

Task orders or written booking confirmations contain the official details for a specific engagement, including client, course, dates, times, location, rate, invoicing details, materials, travel, cancellation terms, and special conditions.

If a task order conflicts with this handbook, the task order will apply for that specific engagement unless prohibited by a signed master agreement or applicable law.

6.7 Travel Arrangements

Travel must not be booked for Skunkworks Academy’s account unless approved in writing. Client travel rules, where issued, override the general travel guidance in this handbook.

6.8 Client-Specific Orientation

Instructors may receive information about client contacts, site access, security, dress code, platform access, learner profile, classroom procedures, software versions, course customisation, and client-specific standards. Instructors must review this information before class.

6.9 Instructor Confirmation

Before the engagement, instructors should receive a confirmation containing logistics such as:

• Course code and title.
• Start and end dates.
• Class times and time zone.
• Arrival or connection time.
• Delivery format and location.
• Client contact person.
• Expected number of learners.
• Course material format.
• Daily feedback and final evaluation process.
• Progress report requirements.
• Emergency contacts.

7. Class Delivery Requirements

7.1 Verification of Setup

Instructors must verify setup before class. For virtual delivery, this includes audio, video, screen sharing, breakout rooms, lab access, browser access, passwords, and learner material links. For in-person delivery, this includes classroom layout, projector, whiteboard, network, lab machines, power, software, and learner materials.

7.2 Arrival and Class Time

• For the first day of training, instructors must arrive or connect at least one hour before class start time unless otherwise stated.
• For later days, instructors must arrive or connect at least thirty minutes before class start time unless otherwise stated.
• Classes must start and end on time.
• Instructors must not dismiss learners early without approval.
• All labs and exercises must be supervised.
• Emergency delays must be reported immediately.

7.3 Cancellation by Instructor

Instructors must not cancel classes directly with the client or learners. If an emergency prevents delivery, the instructor must immediately contact Skunkworks Academy so alternative arrangements can be made.

7.4 Security

Instructors must comply with client security procedures, including access badges, visitor registration, system credentials, confidentiality, device restrictions, recording rules, and data handling requirements.

7.5 Attendance and Rosters

• For classroom training, instructors must ensure learners sign the attendance roster each day, unless otherwise instructed.
• For virtual training, instructors must monitor attendance and report missing learners if required.
• Attendance records must be submitted according to the instructor confirmation.

7.6 Daily Feedback

Instructors should tell learners at the beginning of class that daily feedback may be required. Feedback should be reviewed daily so issues can be addressed before the final evaluation.

7.7 Final Evaluations

On the last day of training, instructors must ensure learners complete final evaluations using the approved process. If client-specific evaluation forms are required, the instructor must use those forms.

7.8 Testing and Assessments

Where assessments are part of the programme, instructors must review assessment requirements before class and ensure that relevant topics are covered. Assessment records must be completed and submitted as instructed.

7.9 Student Progress Reports

For boot camps, mentoring, private engagements, and assessed programmes, instructors may be required to document learner participation, lab performance, test results, attendance, and progress.

7.10 Certificates

Skunkworks Academy may issue certificates after successful completion, subject to attendance, assessment, client requirements, or programme rules.

7.11 Classroom and Virtual Cleanup

• Leave physical classrooms clean and ready for the next session.
• Erase whiteboards and remove flipchart pages unless the client asks otherwise.
• Collect extra materials and dispose of rubbish.
• Log out of client systems and close virtual rooms correctly.
• Do not retain client data, learner data, passwords, recordings, or materials unless authorised.

8. Evaluations, NPS and Quality Benchmarks

8.1 Quality Expectations

Skunkworks Academy expects instructors to deliver high-quality training and maintain strong learner and client satisfaction.

Target Average Instructor Rating
Minimum Acceptable Rating
NPS Target

8.2 Net Promoter Score

Some clients may use Net Promoter Score, or NPS, to measure learner satisfaction. Learners are usually asked whether they would recommend the training to a friend or colleague on a scale from 0 to 10.

• Scores of 9 or 10 are generally treated as promoters.
• Scores of 7 or 8 are generally treated as passive.
• Scores of 0 to 6 are generally treated as detractors.

Instructors should not pressure learners for scores. However, instructors may explain how the evaluation scale works and encourage learners to provide honest, constructive feedback.

8.3 Failed Delivery

If a delivery fails because of instructor non-performance, lack of preparation, misconduct, lateness, failure to follow instructions, or unsatisfactory delivery, Skunkworks Academy may review payment, future assignments, corrective action, and client remedies according to the applicable task order or subcontractor agreement.

9. Instructor Skills

9.1 Knowledge of Subject Matter and Courseware

• Review the full course before delivery.
• Run all labs and exercises successfully before class.
• Review the outline and understand the course objectives.
• Prepare examples beyond the course material.
• Be ready to answer learner questions within and reasonably around the subject matter.
• Prepare extra exercises for advanced learners.

9.2 Presentation of Lecture and Materials

• Use a mix of lecture, demonstration, discussion, exercises, and labs.
• Avoid long lecture blocks without learner activity.
• Use real-world examples where appropriate.
• Explain slides in your own words instead of reading them.
• Use diagrams, demos, whiteboards, and screen sharing effectively.

9.3 Creating a Productive Learning Environment

• Encourage questions and respectful discussion.
• Prevent one learner or group from dominating the class.
• Call learners by name where possible.
• Check progress during labs instead of waiting for learners to ask for help.
• Provide constructive feedback.

9.4 Staying Focused on Objectives

• Explain class objectives at the start.
• Review what was covered at the beginning of each day.
• Manage off-topic questions carefully.
• Use a parking lot for questions that fall outside the class scope.
• Summarise key points at the end of each section.

9.5 Responding to Questions

If you do not know the answer to a question, say that you will investigate and return with an answer. Do not guess on technical, legal, security, financial, or client-sensitive questions.

10. Course Materials and Facilities

10.1 Course Materials

• Use the approved materials for the class.
• Do not distribute unapproved materials.
• Do not copy, reuse, sell, or share proprietary courseware without approval.
• Do not upload confidential courseware or client content into public AI tools.
• Report errors or improvement suggestions privately to Skunkworks Academy.

10.2 Facilities

Instructors must report facility issues immediately, including room temperature, noise, lighting, internet access, power, lab access, projector problems, or platform instability.

10.3 Virtual Delivery Environment

• Use a professional background and quiet environment.
• Test microphone, camera, screen sharing, and internet connection.
• Keep learner information private.
• Do not record sessions unless authorised.
• Monitor chat and participation.

11. Post-Class Activities

After every engagement, instructors must complete all required closeout activities.

• Submit attendance records.
• Submit daily and final evaluations where required.
• Submit learner progress reports where required.
• Report courseware issues or client concerns.
• Return, delete, or secure client materials and data.
• Submit invoice and supporting documents according to the payment policy.

12. Expenses and Invoicing

12.1 Invoice Requirements

Invoices must be complete, accurate, and supported by required documentation. Incomplete invoices may be rejected and payment timing may run from the date of correct resubmission.

• Invoice must be addressed to Skunkworks Academy (Pty) Ltd.
• Invoice must include the task order, job code, or purchase order number.
• Invoice must include dates of services delivered.
• Invoice must match approved fees unless a written variation was approved.
• A signed task order or written approval must be attached.
• Approved expenses must be itemised with valid receipts.

12.2 Invoice Submission

Invoice Email
Standard Payment Terms
Invoice Deadline

12.3 Expenses

Expenses are reimbursable only if approved in writing and supported by receipts. Credit card slips or bank statements alone may not be sufficient. Personal, luxury, entertainment, alcohol, fines, upgrades, and unapproved expenses are not reimbursable.

13. Boot Camps and Re-Skilling Programmes

Skunkworks Academy boot camps and re-skilling programmes may combine instructor-led training, labs, assessments, mentoring, project work, coaching, and progress tracking.

Instructors assigned to boot camps may be required to attend programme orientation, follow a structured learning path, document learner progress, support remediation, participate in instructor meetings, and submit regular progress reports.

14. Project Mentoring

Project mentoring helps learners apply new skills to real work. Mentors should support knowledge transfer, practical application, standards adoption, documentation, problem solving, code or solution review, and progress reporting.

14.1 Mentoring Activities

• Review learner or team objectives.
• Help define practical action plans.
• Support design, development, testing, documentation, and deployment activities.
• Provide constructive feedback.
• Track skills development and project progress.
• Submit weekly or agreed status reports.

14.2 Mentoring Deliverables

• Skills development plan.
• Weekly progress notes.
• Project or learner risk notes.
• Recommendations for additional training or support.
• Final mentoring summary, if required.

15. Confidentiality, Privacy and Data Handling

Instructors may receive confidential information from Skunkworks Academy, clients, learners, partners, or vendors. This information must be protected and used only for the approved engagement.

• Do not disclose client, learner, pricing, platform, courseware, or business information.
• Do not retain personal information longer than necessary.
• Do not share learner records, attendance, assessment results, or client information without approval.
• Report any suspected data breach, lost device, unauthorised access, or accidental disclosure immediately.
• Use only approved systems for storing and submitting learner information.

Appendices

Appendix A: Instructor Task Order Template

Customer
Invoicing Address	Skunkworks Academy (Pty) Ltd, 26 Second Avenue, Alberton, Gauteng, 1401, South Africa
Job Code
Subcontractor
Instructor
Training Provided
Start Date - End Date
Start Time - End Time
Number of Training Days
Number of Students
Rate
Training Materials
Location of Training
Travel
Payment Terms

Appendix B: Accounts Payable Policy

Required Invoice Documentation

• Invoice in PDF format.
• Correct Skunkworks Academy invoicing address.
• Task order, job code, or purchase order number.
• Date or dates of services delivered.
• Copy of the signed task order or written approval.
• Itemised approved expenses and receipts, if applicable.

Invoice Submission Rules

• Invoices must be submitted to the approved invoice email address.
• Invoices sent to individual staff members may not count as correct submission.
• Incomplete invoices may be returned unpaid for correction.
• Payment timing may be calculated from the date a complete and correct invoice is received.

Appendix C: Travel Policy

Instructors are responsible for complying with approved travel arrangements and limits. Travel must be approved in writing before booking unless the task order states otherwise.

Usually Not Reimbursable Unless Approved

• Airfare upgrades or premium seating.
• Alcoholic beverages.
• Hotel minibar, entertainment, movies, spa, gym, or personal services.
• Traffic fines, parking fines, penalties, and interest.
• Lost or stolen personal property.
• Personal purchases, toiletries, clothing, luggage, or recreational activities.
• Unapproved car rental upgrades or additional insurance.
• Unapproved non-refundable bookings.

Travel Approval Fields

Approved By
Approval Date
Maximum Approved Travel Amount
Approved Travel Items

Appendix D: Travel and Living Reimbursement Form

Date	Description	Category	Amount	Receipt Attached

Appendix E: Sample Student Evaluation

Course Name
Instructor Name
Course Date

Please rate the following from 1 to 5, where 5 is outstanding.

Evaluation Item	Rating	Comments
Instructor knowledge
Instructor presentation
Course materials
Exercises and labs
Learning environment
Overall satisfaction

Would you recommend this training to a friend or colleague?

Additional comments:

Appendix F: Sample Daily Student Feedback

Student Name
Date
What worked well today?
What needs clarification?
Any technical or lab issues?
Any other feedback?

Appendix G: Sample Instructor Feedback

Instructor Name
Course / Programme
Client
What went well?
Courseware issues
Lab or platform issues
Learner concerns
Recommended improvements

Appendix H: Instructor Progress Report

Learner Name	Attendance	Participation	Lab Progress	Assessment Score	Comments

Appendix I: Skunkworks Academy Contact List

Function	Name	Email	Phone
Education / Delivery Manager
Instructor Support
Technical / Lab Support
Emergency After-Hours Contact
Accounts / Invoices

Appendix J: Instructor Confirmation Template

Course Code and Title
Start / End Dates
Class Time and Time Zone
Arrival / Connection Time
Location / Platform
Client Contact
Job Code / Reference
Expected Number of Learners
Course Material Format
Daily Feedback Instructions
Final Evaluation Instructions
Progress Report Instructions
Emergency Instructions

Appendix K: Receipt of Instructor Handbook

I confirm that I have reviewed the Skunkworks Academy Instructor Handbook and understand the expectations, policies, delivery standards, confidentiality obligations, invoicing procedures, and professional conduct requirements contained in this document.