As 2002 draws to a close, the future for training provision in the UK's private security sector remains somewhat uncertain.
Following last month's shock departure of stalwart chief executive Raymond Clarke (News, SMT, November 2002, p6), SITO no longer finds itself bound for Clarke's Brave New World. A world in which the industry's former NTO would join forces with the health and safety, fire prevention and contract cleaning fraternities to form S5C – one of Tony Blair's much-trumpeted Sector Skills Councils.

Where next for SITO, then, and indeed security training in general? A clearer picture has now emerged in the wake of this year's SITO National Conference ('Sector specifics', pp22-25) and Security Industry Authority chair Molly Meacher's latest comments ('Mark of Authority', pp26-29).

Meacher concedes that the most obvious path towards better-focused training programmes would indeed be that offered by the Sector Skills Council mandate. The fly in this particular ointment is that, at present, it's far from clear as to which direction the security industry as a whole will take.

Not only that, but Meacher and her counterpart at the SIA – chief executive John Saunders – harboured concerns that S5C would steer the private sector down the wrong road. In other words, towards less-skilled cleaning operatives as opposed to more highly-skilled security officers.

Apparently, a general concensus has emerged at the Home Office whereby more time is required to elicit the views of employers. Quite right, too. SITO and the SIA have to be seen to say to their audience: "What would you like from us today?" rather than: "Here's what we have done for you..."

Several options have been outlined for the proposed Sector Skills Council, but the most logical would seem to involve a tie-up with the Justice Sector Skills Council. According to Molly Meacher, the latter is close to being rubber-stamped.

True to their word, though, Meacher and Saunders are consulting the industry via Professor Martin Gill at PRCI ('In Perpetuity', pp16-20) before making their final move.

The decision they take – in tandem with the BSIA and SITO, and informed by the Sector Skills Strategy Group – will be vital to the success of industry regulation. No matter what path Meacher and Saunders choose, training standards must be relevant, affordable and, above all, widely supported.

Source

SMT

Postscript

Brian Sims, Editor