Eurostar (UK) Ltd is making use of Computer Based Training (CBT) for instructing security personnel on passenger screening, specifically on how to spot suspect devices such as bombs and other weapons on x-ray screening devices.
The contract for security staff was awarded to Securitas Guarding Services in August 1999, and in September 1999 Peter Barrie was appointed as training manager for the site to ensure staff are trained to Eurostar, Government and Securitas requirements.
In October Securitas began operating CBT, provided by specialist software developer Safe Passage International Inc, on the Eurostar contract to instruct security personnel on passenger screening.
Off-the-shelf courses provided by Safe Passage include basic X-ray screening, X-ray interpretation and the modular bomb set.
Barrie believes CBT to be “excellent” in practice because it gives individual officers the chance to hone their skills by interacting with computer-simulated situations. CBT points out their weaknesses and encourages their elimination through practice.
For instance, the modular bomb set can be used by staff to construct Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) on the computer. The program then simulates how that device would look under X-ray. Trainees then have to identify each component by clicking on them with a mouse, the results of which are evaluated by the program, with instant feedback given to the student.
Students can also work with pre-configured IEDs which have been loaded into the system. Students can then practice passing or holding baggage for further inspection, with the results again being assessed as they go along.
Safe Passage is not limited just to simulated bombs: the threat library contains over 2000 items in X-ray form, including guns, knives and other dangerous items.
According to Barrie, the key value in CBT is to encourage individuals to practice their skills and encourage consistency across security teams. The CBT software can also track individuals’ performance and report on officers’ weaknesses.
In effect, officers are supported in individual training, being placed under no pressure or time limits in training, yet whose performance is recorded in exacting detail.
Barrie has found that officers like CBT and find it friendly to use. Computerised records bear this out: they show that each officer carries out an average of 50 self-tests a month.
Self-paced learning
As a method of training, the contrast between CBT and classroom teaching couldn’t be more polarised. Instead of going at the pace of the class, which is bound to be either too fast or too slow, the individual controls the pace, the frequency and timing of each CBT session.
Research shows that trainees retain up to 40% more of CBT delivered training than classroom-based instruction. The interaction between the software package and the student has a lot to do with this, involving as it does multimedia presentation, text and interactive elements. The days of CBT being a page turning exercise — literally a book on a computer — are gone.
Safe Passage International (SPI) describes itself as the “world’s leading provider of CBT for the security industry”, specialising in aviation security. Founded ten years ago, this US-based company is the only provider of aviation security CBT approved by the US Federal Aviation Authority. Despite its aviation credentials, it is now keen to move into other end-user areas.
Andrew Figiel, the UK director of SPI, claims that there are significant benefits to be had from adopting CBT, not least controlling the cost of training. Whether it is providing initial training and delivering key, required modules, or updating skills through recurring training, Figiel says the cost of training per student actually decreases as the number of staff using the package increases. Who can say that about classroom training?
Source
SMT
