When I retired from the RAF, some 18 years ago now, it was impressed upon me that to get a headstart within the security industry, which was to be my second career, I would need some form of industry accreditation and professional membership.
Thus inspired, I embarked upon a distance learning course with the International Professional Security Association (IPSA), sat my exams, and was duly accepted as a member. Whether this qualification was used as a “differentiator” back then, I don’t know, but I was able to use some of the knowledge I gained in the various security management roles I had.
There then followed a number of years where, in the job I had with a large corporate, there was just no time for any extra-curricular activity. Following a restructuring exercise and a new boss, emphasis was placed upon professional development. We were all encouraged to apply for distance learning degrees offered by universities that specialized in security risk management or something similar. The added bonus was that the firm would cover our tuition fees!
At about the same time I was “volunteered” to be our company representative on a trade body. Once I had overcome the paranoia of fraternizing with the competition, I found that we all had a common goal in trying to reduce the incidence of criminality directed toward our particular industry sector.
However, I found that successive senior managers treated the trade body like Marmite. They either embraced it wholeheartedly, fully supporting the aims and objectives, or hated it, seeing it as just a talking shop where no real benefit was derived from being a member. My belief was, and still is, that if trade bodies are properly managed by the membership — and that is the key — then some truly effective benefits can be obtained.
During my tenure as representative, our sector was suffering from a very high degree of criminality, and the police seemed to be powerless to act. So the individual companies operating in that sector decided that self-help was required.
Under the auspices of the trade body (which was also lobbying the Association of Chief Police Officers and government on our behalf) we set up a crime reduction initiative covering our three geographical crime hotspot areas. The police forces in those areas were advised on what we were doing and were largely supportive.
I recall a deputy chief constable saying to me after a presentation on the initiative that “I was pushing at an open door, but unfortunately there was nobody at home to help.” Undaunted, the initiative went ahead under the banner of the trade body, and, to be frank, it was a resounding success. A version of it is still running today, some 10 years after its inception.
Fast-forward a decade and I am still involved with a trade body, albeit a different body and a sector, but still, the objectives remain the same: supporting members and seeking to achieve excellence.
While the example is that of a “corporate” response, I realize that for a singleton security consultant there is no “trade body” per se. Instead we have to rely upon the professional bodies to represent our interests.
You are not alone
There are many to choose from, and which one largely depends, I think, on where we feel most comfortable and how much we feel is a reasonable rate for the annual subscription! Some of us are members of more than one. The two larger professional security bodies in the country offer varying levels of membership, professional development programs, and the all-important networking meetings, so necessary for the sole trader or associate consultant.
All of the professional bodies promote excellence and also have the ability to lobby the administration of the day regarding any pertinent issues that may face a particular sector of the industry. As I recall, all were very vocal in their opposition to the security consultancy sector becoming licensed under the Private Security Industry Act 2001. You may or may not agree, but that is a discussion for another day.
The important thing to remember within the security industry is that you are not alone. The trade associations and professional bodies are an integral part of our industry sector and work steadily behind the scenes for our benefit. So, as far as I am concerned, they definitely are of use to me.
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Wow, reading this made me have flash backs to my own experience in the information technology industry. It gave me a little reassurance that perhaps my field is not the only one where this struggle for lack of a better term may be going on.
To my mind trade associations are absolutely vital, as is the work they do, and I couldn’t agree more with you that their accountability to their members is key to that. But I would say that most of the successful associations do listen to their members, otherwise they would see a rapid mass exodus.
I think that bodies are only as good as the members, if the members are just joining to tick a box, they will fail. However, if like minded people get together, want to get involved and move things forward, they could become a power to be reckoned with.
I think the bodies are only as good as their intentions. If the bodies intention is to exclude new players or to boost their own share of the market then they do nothing to advance the trade but if they recognize that there is room for competition and they are pushing to make the whole market a better place then I see a real benefit. Not all associations are the same but they should all have the same common goal. To advance their trade and to make customers see them in the best light possible.
Great point, @Dawn Holmes, couldn’t agree more. I’d add though that you need strong leadership — if a lot of people all get together they’re not necessarily going to agree in a single direction. Someone needs to take leadership at some point.
I also hate to see warring associations. Ultimately, they’re usually in the game for the same reasons, even if they might disagree on specific issues. I want to see these associations collaborating wherever possible.
In many trade associations there is a very cooperative nature and members understand that there is no way that they can service every possible customer so they lift up other members so that their industry as a whole improves. The company I work for is in such an association, we often rent to other members or rent from them or freelance some of their technicians when we have a job bigger than we can handle. It is still competitive but everyone understands that you have to flex a little if you want to survive.