Training: the key to quality

There’s no doubt that the introduction of Security Industry Authority (SIA) licensing and the subsequent Approved Contractor Scheme has changed the landscape of the industry. We can all agree that the ‘stamp of approval’ a licence yields is a major benefit – not only to clients, but to companies operating within the security arena. It provides us with a quality endorsement that many chartered professions have long enjoyed.

On the flip side, however, companies who had previously spent time and energy differentiating their service offering (and establishing their credentials over their competitors) now find themselves having to generate business and attract employees from the level playing field created by SIA regulation. Added to that, of course, is the impact of the increasing cost of the licence (‘SIA licence application fee set to rise in April from £190 to £245’, News Update, SMT, February 2007, p7).

The challenge before us is two-fold. We need to find new ways in which to provide clients with a clearly enhanced service, while at the same time retaining members of staff in whom we’re investing so much money.

We strongly believe that the answer to this particular conundrum lies in training and development. By demonstrating continuous improvement in our service and staff skills we’ll be able to prove our commitment to our client base and our people.

However, that doesn’t just mean window dressing with a refresher course every now and again (or the five days’ initial training that we provide for our staff in comparison with the industry standard of four). At Advance Security, we’ve never believed in a ‘one size fits all’ approach and, as such, have duly invested in the development of training courses and qualifications specific to the nuances of different sectors and client requirements.

BTEC training qualifications

Working closely with Paul Keeling of Senate Training – an expert with 30 years’ experience in security consultancy, risk assessment and crime reduction – we can now offer BTEC training qualifications in shopping centre security, counter-terrorism and defence industry security. Plans are also in place to offer similar packages for our other core client sectors, namely the utilities, banking and finance and the media.

The defence industry training programme (developed alongside our client BAE Systems) is the UK’s only BTEC qualification specifically tailored to the higher specification of security skills and competencies required of defence industry security officers. The BTEC qualification in Understanding Counter-Terrorism, meanwhile – which has won Paul Keeling a number of accolades for its innovative approach – offers a practical and realistic appraisal of the current terrorist threat. Both courses are open to every one of Advance Security’s 3,000 personnel, and to our clients operating in those sectors.

The shopping centre BTEC qualification incorporates a number of public-facing skills, such as First Aid training and dealing with lost children, in addition to specific security competencies (among them offender profiling and conflict resolution).

We’ve furthered our commitment to the sector with the establishment of a dedicated shopping centre division, providing security guarding and technology-based solutions tailored to our clients’ needs.

Training versus Costs Matrix

Of course, even this doesn’t provide clients with a service that is ‘ready to go’ on Day One, so we’ve developed a transparent Training versus Costs Matrix which allows us to build-in training expenses over the course of our contract with a given customer.

We provide a bespoke package in line with our clients’ needs and as our operational teams achieve each level of training, the cost to the client is amended. The advantage to the client is a security service entirely relevant to its environment. For our people, the opportunity to ‘earn as you learn’ provides them with additional skills and a clear progression route. In return, we benefit from a more motivated and loyal workforce.

We don’t claim that our service is perfect. We’re evolving with the industry and our clients as the security climate changes, but we do believe that it’s the responsibility of reputable security providers to train and develop personnel to higher levels throughout the course of their employment. We believe we’re going some way towards achieving that.

By demonstrating a commitment to individual vertical sectors, diversifying and drilling down to the core needs of each industry, and investing our own time and money in developing a better-trained workforce, we are able to offer significantly more to the customer. While some might be complacent that the stamp of the SIA licence puts them on a par with their competitors, we see it as a reason to ‘up’ our game, and to demonstrate to clients that the teams on the level playing field are in fact competing in different divisions after all.