As part of its strategy to provide a dedicated gateway to e-learning within the security industry, SITO has been approved as the official LearnDirect SectorHub
SITO has received approval from the University for Industry (UfI) to act as the LearnDirect Sector Hub for the security sector. The news has been welcomed at Security House, where the SITO team has been developing a strategy aimed at providing a "gateway to e-learning" for security practitioners.

Being a Sector Hub will help employees in the industry access a range of generic and industry-specific training and learning opportunities in a variety of ways. Security supervisors, managers and officers will now be able to study on site, in the office or even at home, in turn controlling the pace of their learning.

Complementing SITO's development of computer-based training materials, this new initiative will provide access to hundreds of LearnDirect online programmes covering subjects ranging from security management through to IT security.

Initially, SITO will be supporting no less than 30 different teaching packages.

Speaking about the decision, Jayne Sale – UfI Sector Hub manager at SITO – told SMT: "We received an excellent response from those companies who participated in the pilot scheme, including Securitas, The Shield Guarding Company and Securicor Cash Services. Over 90% of 'learners' who took part in the pilot said they'd use this form of training again."

In supporting the initiative, the Learning and Skills Council has committed £330,000 of funding until July 2003, a sum that will be increased if there is sufficient demand from the industry. This funding will be used to subsidise courses and, wherever possible, provide financial assistance to those organisations who may want to use their own training staff to support learners.

In what is another contribution to the SITO strategy of strengthening the role of in-company trainers, the Hub will cover companies right across the UK. "It's our stated objective to provide a one-stop shop for e-learning," added SITO general manager Stefan Hay.