TK Consultants has become an approved City & Guilds Centre, able to deliver C&G 1851/NVQ training as required for the Modern Apprentice scheme, funded by the Government. To deliver the training, TKC is working in close collaboration with SITO, the Security Industry Training Organisation.
The first ten Modern Apprentices have started their two-year course as part of the North West Training Co-operative (NOWCO). This co-operative, which currently comprises six employers, is organised along the successful lines established by SITO in the South and Midlands except that, in this case, the private training provider is undertaking the training.
The scheme is open to all security installers from North Wales to Cumbria.
Further information from SITO, tel 01905 20004, or TKC, details below.)
TKC continues to offer its popular short intensive training courses covering the installation and marketing of intruder, CCTV, access control and fire alarm systems, as well as a "unique" locksmiths' skills course and a 'compliance with electrical regulations' one-day course. These have been restructured recently to include many of the changes required by the European Standards. Also available are courses on selling, management, and the organisation needed when applying for Inspectorate registration. There is a free helpline for assistance after attending a course.
BREAK INTO GATES!
Due to growing demand, FAAC, the automatic gate and barrier specialist, is providing free-of-charge training courses for installers on a monthly basis.
The company established a training programme for its nationwide network of installers two years ago. Increased demand now means it will further develop the programme. Training is carried out at the company's HQ in Basingstoke, where a showroom exhibits most models as working examples. This offers a big advantage to security installers interested in getting into this sector but who have limited hands-on experience. A morning debriefing is followed by an afternoon of practical exercises. The programme is divided into four modules:
TC1 Product overview designed for all new customers or for existing customers with new staff;
TC2 Swing gate automation;
TC3 Sliding gate automation;
TC4 Automatic barriers, consisting of a product brief, correct installation demo, supervision of wiring up control panels and advice on safety and difficulties encountered.
Trainees who complete the course successfully are awarded a certificate. Hundreds of new and existing installer customers have taken advantage of the training days and since the courses started the FAAC technical department has noticed a marked decline in queries and requests for support. "Proper installation leads to profitable work, a long-lasting automation system and a happy customer," says General Manager, William Walker. "FAAC's training programmes are designed to deliver all three of these, providing technical competence and confidence in the trainees enabling them to deliver the goods in the field."
LOOKING FOR LEVEL 3
Pointer, based in Glasgow, has 30 apprentices and engineers working to achieve the NVQ level 3 qualification. Four apprentices have already completed modern apprenticeships in security technology. During the three-year programme apprentices receive classroom teaching and practical supervised field training. NVQ level 3 gives them the foundation skills that enables them to progress as engineers in a specialist field or train to enter supervisory and management positions.
Pointer chairman, Bob Rowan, says: "These young people are pioneers. By study and proving their practical skills they have shown themselves to be capable of installing high quality intruder detection, fire alarm, access control and CCTV equipment." Training was partly sponsored by Glasgow Development Agency, which has the same role as the Tecs in England and Wales.The qualification is accredited by SITO and the Scottish Qualifications Authority.
ENGINEERS GUIDE TO ...
The Caltrop Consultancy has produced a series of one- and two-day training courses said to be priced at "exceptionally low rates to encourage firms to train their staff." They cover intruder alarms and CCTV and provide training in the new European standards and the consequences for security systems companies. Called The Engineers Guide to... the four courses cover intruder alarms, access control, CCTV systems and European alarm standards. Training has been designed by Martin Kane, a member of the European Standards Committee. Courses provide the underpinning knowledge for NVQ levels 2 and 3 qualifications and are mapped against City & Guilds 1851 awards. Courses are aimed at engineers and technical staff involved in surveying, commissioning, installation and maintenance. They have been running monthly since the beginning of the year at Aston University in Birmingham. Fees are £140+VAT (one day) and £250+VAT (two days). Included is tuition, full documentation, refreshments, lunch, certification and a free technical aftercare service.
ACCESSIBLE COURSES
Access control manufacturer, BSB Electronics, is running free-of-charge courses at its headquarters in Great Harwood, near Blackburn, Lancs. The company says demand has been heavy and places have been snapped up, although there were still places available at the time of writing. Extra courses may also be added.Designed to help engineers fully utilise the capabilities of the Progeny range, the courses alternate between seminars on installing stand-alone equipment and sessions giving intensive training on the capabilities of the company's on-line systems using Doors software. BSB says that installers who have attended the course have not only increased their understanding of the Progeny range but also their overall knowledge of access control and improved their fault-finding and analytical skills generally. The two-day courses are: (Day 1) Stand-Alone Equipment; (Day 2) On-line Systems & Doors. Dates are: 17 &18 Apr, 19 & 20 Jun, 21 & 22 Aug, 16 & 17 Oct, 4 & 5 Dec.
FOUR NEW CENTRES5
Gardiner Technology has opened four new Regional Customer Service Centres which include Training Centres where a wide range of courses are now being held. The investment follows increased requests from customers for training in all aspects of the company's product areas: intruder alarms, CCTV and access control. The new centres are in Rochdale, Manchester, Nottingham and London-Edgware, although courses have been held in many other locations as well. The company says demand for training in the CCTV field has been enormous.
The CCTV courses cover many aspects of equipment and are headed by an independent professional training expert with vast experience in the field. Topics are covered in two levels, the basics and the more advanced:
Level One Cameras & Lenses; Transmission, Switching and Control Systems; Multiplexers and Video Recorders; Fault finding.
Level Two Cameras & Lenses; Oscilloscope for measurement & fault diagnosis; Common Coaxial Cables and their signal properties; Twisted Pair Cable; Advanced Camera Control Systems; Lighting for CCTV systems; Fibre Optic Transmission; Free Space Transmission; Data Protection Act; Performance Testing; Decibels measurement.
Charges (£50 at a Regional Training Centre, £75 if held in an hotel) are fully refundable in proportion to how much customers spend within the first six months after the course. The course lasts one full day with beverages and lunch. Every customer who has undertaken a course is issued with a CCTV certificate in due course.
BE WISE ON ISO
NACOSS-registered companies that want a better understanding of ISO 9000 can take advantage of a monthly training bulletin.
The intention of ISOsecurity Wise is to help the nominated Quality Manager and other involved staff to use the standard to make the business more effective and bring a return on the investment in a Quality Management System. The easy-to-understand 'newsletter' will give tips on system simplification and will also help when it comes round to NACOSS assessment visits. Based on industry requirements determined by NACOSS, it is written by Steve Hunt who has been a practising assessor, consultant and trainer in ISO for more than 15 years. (He was also the author of a 'help' column on ISO which ran for several years in Security Installer.) Steve says it gives installers a package that takes "very little time but one that can help them to improve if they follow the principles or tips included. This enables them to raise their awareness without having to take time away from their real jobs within the business." Building up to a reference pack, the newsletters will also tackle the changes due in the new ISO 9001:2000 version, due to be published this year.
GET IN ON THE ACT
Coupled with its move to a new headquarters, ACT (Alarm Conferences and Training) has launched a programme of six one-day courses for the security industry. The courses, which started last month (February), will be repeated throughout the year. Class sizes will be limited to ten and course tutors will be David Grant, Peter Moss and Joe Cieszynski.
Courses are:
Fire Detection Systems The technologies and an overview of installations and service activities;
Closed Circuit Television Aimed at those new to the sector and including lens selection, types of cameras, transmission, survey and design and troubleshooting;
Mains compliance - Registration 16 "Competent persons" Fitting Fuse Spurs - Lock off and Isolation Enabling fire and security installers plus allied trades to comply with Health & Safety plus Electricity at Work and current British Standards when fitting fuse spurs and extending circuits, plus inspection, testing and certification;
Standards Awareness Course -BSEN 503 1 -1 Introducing the new regulations that will work in conjunction with, and gradually replace, BS4737;
Alarm Testing and Troubleshooting Said to be widely acclaimed and unique in its approach to prevention and cure. Designed for all engineers. Practical workshops with common situations. Full technical manuals and problem solving solutions;
Sales and Marketing New course designed to meet requirements for small installation companies who wish to improve business ideas and gain more orders.
Each course costs £150 including pub lunch, manuals, certification and VAT.
SPRING PROGRAMME
Tavcom Training's spring programme of courses includes two new ones covering Computer IT and CCTV Project Management. The former is recommended for those who will need to install and configure security equipment within an IT environment, runs on 10, 11 and 12 April and costs £550. The latter looks at design specification, tender evaluation and coping with the inevitable changes half-way through the project. Running on 1, 2 March it costs £415.
Tavcom tackles CCTV over four levels:
- CCTV 1 - Foundation CCTV The basics of monitors, cameras, lenses, VCRs and multiplexing. Optional workshop day. Price £335 (two days), £475 (three days): 7, 8, 9 March/3, 4, 5 April/8, 9, 10 May.
- CCTV 2 - Getting the Picture from A to B Intermediate level focusing on copper, fibre, telephone, computer and free space methods of picture transmission. Optional workshop day. Price £350 (two days), £490 (three days): 22, 23, 24 March/23, 24, 25 May.
- CCTV 3 - Telemetry and Video Control Intermediate level dealing with switching, telemetry protocols, wiring, motion detection, etc. Optional workshop day to configure and fault-find a working system. Price £350 (two days), £490 (three days): 25, 26, 27 April.
- CCTV 4 - The Overall Picture Advanced three-day course studying all topics covered by CCTV 1, 2 and 3 in greater depth. Price £495: 18, 19, 20 April.
Source
Security Installer
