At the end of the STPA course, professionals were asked to share their advice for future practitioners considering enrollment. Here are the insights they provided:

• Watch the videos that are available on Youtube, read the STPA handbook, or attend a virtual or in person STPA workshop. You will be much more prepared and understand the terminology that is being used.
• Why did you wait this long?
• Some advice to others: Think of some potential applications to your systems, can be at a generic level. If proprietary or classified, take a little time before the class begins to scrub it or make it generic so you have example systems you can quickly use to relate course material to if similar systems are not brought up in class. Also come with a mind open to expanding how you think about failures/losses in a system.
• Read the STPA Handbook Chapter 2 a few times in the period before the class.
• Have a system and an associated control structure in mind for the exercises, getting it reviewed by instructor for suitability before the class.
• Plan to commit more time to review the slide notes and the assignments between class sessions. Especially for the last 2 activities.
• Plan enough time for reading and exercises outside of class to get the most out of this course.
• READ THE HANDBOOK
• This course will run you through the entire STPA Hazard Analysis process, provide many opportunities to practice each part of STPA multiple times. It is essential training for anyone who wants to exploit STPA and get fantastic results. Dr John Thomas is an excellent teacher who is very friendly, patient and approachable.