Speaking at the Systems Seminar, James McDougall, SITO Customer Advisor (Scotland) and systems trainer, said training for security engineers was disjointed at the moment. Only a small percentage of employers were going for vocational qualifications.
There was a shortage of skilled engineers with companies still poaching staff from one another. He stressed the benefits of training: heightened reputation; increased staff performance; financial savings; a marketing "edge"; better management planning and an aid to recruitment.
He also detailed the costs to companies through not training their engineers: loss of business, higher material costs; higher wage costs; increased administration; increased recruitment costs and possible liquidation!
Driven by employers
John Hedger, Director of Operations, Department of Education & Employment said SITO was highly regarded by the department. It is highly energetic and has a reputation for getting things done.
But while welcoming the co-operative training schemes, he said that SITO needed to galvanize more employers into action and needed to double its efforts to become more active in Scotland and Wales. It needed to be "driven" by employers.
The DfEE was establishing a Learning & Skills Council responsible for all post 16 education and training. This would simplify the confusing system in use at the moment and give employers what they want and need.
Making it easier
The Chief Executive of the Quality & Curriculums Authority, the regulatory body responsible for NVQs, said the multitude of qualifications in the industry was confusing. They were looking at the relationship between NVQs and other qualifications and trying to make NVQs more friendly. Said Dr Nick Tate: "We want to make it easier for employers to use, particularly smaller companies. We want there to be real confidence in these qualifications."
Milestone gained
Apprentices on the SESCO (South East Security Co-operative) training scheme were also honoured at the event for gaining their first "milestone"- NVQ Level 2. They were Darren Clegg of Alert Systems, Dominic Quigley of Capstan Security and Neil Stocker of Capstan Security.
Multi media future
Chief Executive, Raymond Clarke, said SITO was now one of the leading National Training Organisations (NTOs) in the UK. It aimed to be the first voice on security training not only in the UK but internationally. He made three important announcements in his "end of decade" report ...
Centres of Excellence
This month (January) will see the launch of a network of nine Colleges of Further Education which will be developed as Centres of Excellence for the security industry. The colleges have been selected because of their connection with the industry or because they have good off campus training.
Providing a wide range of security training with the most up to date equipment, they will be able to assess all SITO exams and NVQs and be able to provide 'drop in' tutorial sessions for open learning. Colleges are Bristol, Manchester, E. Durham & Houghall, Guildford, Derby Tertiary, Sheffield, Stafford, Waltham Forest, and W. Suffolk.
A new funding scheme is being developed with the approval of the Further Education Funding Council. One contract will cover all nine colleges and paperwork will be simplified. Funding levels for companies are expected to improve with certain training programmes.
Distance Learning
SITO aims to be the world's largest provider of multimedia based training materials for security with £1.6m being invested over the next 18 months to develop high quality interactive material.
Said Clarke: "This initiative ... could prove particularly useful in the systems sector where we will be able to work with manufacturers to adapt generic materials to provide product training." By linking this product training to national assessment, the centres of excellence, and the co-ops, it will become a "model" scheme which could make high quality training the norm in the systems sector. SITO now has the resources to deliver over the internet with SITO examinations undertaken on line 24 hours a day. "Within two or three years we might even employ more programmers than trainers ..."
Qualifications
SITO accredited university certificate and diploma qualifications have been introduced. SITO will develop core modules for first degrees, providing security options to management and electrical engineering degrees. "Perhaps we might even get to a stage that the bright young things view the security industry as a suitable first career choice."
Award winning schemes
SITO's annual Training Awards were presented as part of the conference. Winner in the In-House Training Provider category was Merry Hill Shopping Complex which, in the judges opinion, showed "logical career progression and benefited the company, staff and end users". Runner up was Reliance Security Services Ltd.
In the commercial training provider category the winner was The Parking Services Training Section of the London Borough of Croydon which, by training parking personnel, was said to bring very clear benefits to customers, the provider and staff.
Trained to NVQ standards
SITO's Bronze Award for those organisations who have ten per cent of their workforce trained to NVQ standards went to Westminster Security Group. Westminster's MD, Peter Fowler, said the company had to work hard to achieve the ten per cent target and the company had set up its own centre of approval to deliver NVQs to the workforce supervised by SITO and City & Guilds. "The support we have had from SITO has been excellent".
Raising southern profile
Appointed as SITO Customer Advisor for the South of England is Lynwood Newman. His responsibilities include raising the profile and developing markets for SITO and its products and services. American born, he has nearly 35 years experience in the industry and previously worked as a consultant providing training services. Career high points include providing security co-ordination for the Soviet government visit in the 1987/1988 INF (Intermediate Nuclear Forces) treaty negotiations, providing archive photography for the Security Police Museum in Texas and becoming honorary life member of the Security Services Association Inspectorate for his services to the association and security industry. He said: "SITO ... is at the forefront of developing the internationally recognised standards that the industry is adopting."
Co-op's making a difference
SITO chairman, Bob Rowan, said he had watched SITO develop from the training department of the BSIA to become a National Training Organisation which was a world leader in security training.
The "co-operative" training scheme was making a difference and now had 150 apprentices who were being trained to help solve the installer skills shortage problem. He said those employers who had got involved with the schemes got "terribly vociferous" and "quite excited because it was close to home ...They are demanding and that will drive SITO's direction. They will be positive although they may be uncomfortable."
Getting the SITO message across
SITO has taken on a new PR Manager to handle the organisation's corporate communications. Based at the head office in Worcester, Kabbie Langford will be promoting the SITO training message industry-wide. Previous positions have included Press and PR Officer for Birmingham Chamber of Commerce.
Source
Security Installer
