“Through the first class delivery of nationally-recognised courses, Surrey Security Training will make all attendees proud, qualified security professionals”. So begins Surrey Security Training’s (SST) courses directory for 2001.
A bold claim indeed, but end users will surely be impressed by the sheer depth and breadth of training courses on offer – all of them accredited by renowned bodies including SITO, City & Guilds and the National Open College Network, and approved by the Inspectorate of the Security Industry.
Everyone recognises the need for well-rounded and effective training programmes, but there are common problems that can prevent the training of staff. A training budget may not be in place, and it’s often the case that companies can’t afford to have staff leaving their jobs to go on training courses.
SST tackles this problem by advising on available funding. If funding is there it will be reflected in their pricing structure and start from Day One, with no retrospective claims.
As well as traditional ‘classroom’-style courses, SST also offers a number of distance learning programmes – with the integrated packages including relevant course materials, examination and invigilation fees.
The company is also able to offer tutorial help and monitoring throughout, such that students always maintain their motivation. The intention being that the employer then benefits from having a better-qualified and committed employee. Amen to that.
SST courses in 2001
SST’s ‘Basic Job Training’ module for security officers is suitable as a first qualification for guards already working in the industry, and is BS 7499-compliant. Accredited by SITO, the course mixes two days in the classroom with an optional 16-hour, work-based assessment.
The ‘Basic Retail Training’ course is on a similar level, providing security officers in the commercial retail sector with a basic grounding to do their job.
Stepping back just a touch, the ‘Security and Loss Prevention Foundation’ course – accredited by SROCN through the National Open College Network, and endorsed by IPSA – is designed specifically for officers with little or no formal security training. A mixture of classroom and assessment-based tuition prepares all candidates to progress to SITO/City & Guilds 7268 NVQ Level 2: Security, safety and loss prevention.
The ‘Professional Security Officer’ and ‘The Advanced Security Officer’ are both SITO-written and accredited.
The former, of course, is suitable for those who have worked in – and gained a basic knowledge of – the industry, and are at the stage when they want to further their education. It’s available as a classroom course (spread over five days) or via distance learning.
Meantime, ‘The Advanced Security Officer’ course provides the required knowledge to supervisory management level – and an eventual NVQ at Level 3.
Learning management skills
Of particular interest to Security Management Today’s readership will be SST’s training course devoted solely to managers.
‘The Security Manager’ is a classroom-only course that runs over four days (19-22 June, 18-21 September and 11-14 December).
Certificated by the National Open College Network, the course content is ideal for progressing candidates to an N/SVQ Level 4. Not only that, it can also help in providing successful candidates with entry into the Institute of Management.
This is a wide-ranging course, covering the role and functions of a security manager (such as the expected duties and reporting lines, etc), communication skills (dealing with staff, senior management and clients), investigative procedures (investigating internal security matters), interviewing new recruits and the rudiments of the performance management review process.
Also included are modules relating to criminal, civil and employment law, the preservation of evidence (preparing for court appearances, and dealing with the police, etc), electronic, mechanical and physical security equipment (eg IT systems, access control set-ups, alarm monitoring and CCTV) and conflict resolution (this centres on the de-escalation of aggressive situations).
This residential course is held in Farnham, Surrey or – if the client prefers – in-house.
In a similar vein, the ‘CCTV Control Room Manager’ course is designed to meet the needs of managers responsible for the planning, management and operation of not just CCTV control rooms, but control rooms in general.
Successful candidates are able to progress to City & Guilds 7251 or 7252 in security management, or indeed any management NVQ at Levels 3 and 4.
The best of the rest
‘Personnel Screening and Vetting to BS 7858’ has been developed by SST for those with responsibility for security screening personnel records of any kind in the security sector. This function, of course, is an essential part of any [guarding] company’s inspection process, and is recognised as such by the Inspectorate of the Security Industry.
Available as a classroom course running over two days, it’s accredited by SROCN through the National Open College Network.
Meantime, ‘CCTV Surveying and Specifying’ is an ideal course for those wanting to learn how to survey their premises and property and specify an appropriate CCTV surveillance network. A two-day, classroom-based course, this offering from SST will assist all candidates in progressing to SITO/City & Guilds 1870 NVQ Level 2 in fire, security and emergency alarm systems (including CCTV).
