Mitie becomes first to pilot virtual SIA accreditation
James Thorpe
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Mitie Security has become the first business in the sector to successfully pilot virtual accredited training modules. Mitie is working in partnership with the Security Industry Authority (SIA) and Highfield Qualifications, the licence awarding body, to provide online access to the training course which is required to become a licenced security guard. Previously, candidates were required to attend on-site courses. However, with social distancing measures in place, an innovative training solution was required to meet the growing demand for licenced security officers to support the country during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Six Mitie employees took part in the pilot, successfully completing their training and, after passing their assessments, were awarded their SIA licences. More than 50 Mitie employees are expected to complete their courses in the coming weeks.
Designed for people wanting to take their first step into a career in the security industry, the virtual security guarding course consists of 20 hours of virtual training in the form of live tutorials. These are delivered via video conference over a minimum of three days. During this time, participants cover a number of specialist and management modules, such as health and safety, patrolling, searching, access and egress control and avoiding and defusing conflict. To ensure that the SIA standards are met, the Security Industry Authority and Highfield Qualifications supervisors also make unannounced visits by joining the live tutorials.
At the end of the course the participants are required to take three online assessments on invigilated software to test their knowledge and competency. Once submitted, the online test results can be delivered in just 20 minutes, significantly faster than the two to three weeks that it normally takes for on-site exams to be graded.
Following the success of the licencing training, Mitie will be rolling out a ‘CCTV Level 2’ online course. With many buildings across the country closed due to lockdown, this will ensure security teams are equipped to carry out roles now encompassing the increased use of CCTV.
Jason Towse, Managing Director of Business Services, Mitie, said: “The coronavirus pandemic has brought many challenges to our sector – one of which has been unprecedented demand for security officers in key sectors such as retail and healthcare at a time when people are physically unable to attend training.
“As the UK’s leading technology-led security business, we’re proud to be paving the way with this virtual training, offering people the chance to kick-start their career in security and supporting the efforts to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic. Thank you to our Learning & Development team for making this happen and congratulations to all our new colleagues that have successfully completed their accreditation online. We look forward to welcoming many more.”
Ian Todd, CEO, SIA, said: “This is an example of fantastic partnerships in action. With Mitie’s passion and support, along with other providers, we have been able to pilot a new approach to training in quick time. At the SIA we are always keen to see innovation in the way that training is delivered, without losing the integrity of the qualification. The excellent collaboration between the two organisations shows that despite these uncertain times, we can continue to improve and enhance our business practices. We will now fully evaluate the pilot, including with other providers who have taken part. Thank you to all involved for making this possible.”
