Is Security Guard Training One of the Best Professional Courses in the UK?

A professional course is a training that prepares the candidates for specific job roles. These courses help in the development of practical skills and theoretical knowledge that is necessary to excel in the industry. The securityguard training course is a professional training course that is becoming increasingly popular with each passing day. It is designed to prepare the candidates and build up the confidence before they apply for the respective security license on the official SIA website.

What makes the security guard training course so popular?

There are a lot of reasons for the rising popularity of this course. Below mentioned are some of the most common ones.

·   The private security industry is expanding fast and is creating a lot of job opportunities, thus attracting a lot of candidates. Without qualifying this course, one cannot apply for the license with the SIA. This license is essential to work in the office of the private security industry in the UK.

·     ·    It is a short period course and generally lasts for 3 to 4 days. That means a candidate will be ready to work in the private security industry of the UK in less than 7 days and can start working as soon as they get the license.

·    · The security guard training does not cost much and is affordable for even the individuals who have just passed college and seeks a challenging job role in the market.

·      ·  It is a practical training course that organises various group activities to engage the candidates and help them develop the essential practical skills for the job role. This helps to build up the confidence that theoretical knowledge alone cannot provide.

·       ·  Applying for the license with the SIA requires you to be qualified enough and this course assessment is the benchmark for that. You cannot expect to even apply for open opportunities in the private security industry in case you are have not qualified this assessment.

Is it the best option?

The security guard training is no doubt one of the best security courses in the UK. But in case it is compared with the door supervisor course, another popular security training option in the UK, the guard training may lose some of its charms. This is because the license of the door supervisor qualification enables the candidates to work at both the unlicensed and licensed premises whereas the SIA guard license permits the candidates to work at the unlicensed premises only. Thus the scopes for the door supervisor license holders are much more than those having the guard license. In this context, it is necessary to mention that it is totally dependent on the candidates, their interests, their passion, and their choice of the industry that is better for them. The door supervisor job role binds you to guard the doors and constantly check new people coming into the premises while the guard training may offer a bit more flexibility and freedom.

It is possible for the candidates to apply for more than one security courses in the UK. Upon successful qualification of the training courses, the candidates can apply for the subsequent licenses, thus increasing the chances of applying to more job scopes in the industry. The SIA CCTV course is another one of the popular options that are attracting a lot of applications from the ones seeking challenges job role as well. It is based upon the perfect combination of all of the job roles that the security industry is growing at this rapid rate within the United Kingdom. Without the perfect combination and collaboration of all of the teams together, it is impossible for a single unit or individual alone to ensure the safety and security of the entire premises. Irrespective of the training course you choose, there are some basic practical skills that will be taught to you. Some of those include effective communication, team working abilities, analytical skills, observation abilities, etc. As you spend more time on the job role, you will learn to further polish those skills and become a master in the field.

How to apply for an SIA license?

The Security Industry Authority (SIA) is responsible to maintain all the codes of conduct of the entire private security industry of the United Kingdom. That means it is mandatory for any individual wanting to develop a career in the industry to apply for the SIA license permit. This is because the license certifies that you, as a job seeker, have all the essential theoretical knowledge and practical skills necessary for the job role.

The first step towards license application

You must keep it in mind that a single SIA license is not applicable to work in all the departments. Specific licenses are issued by the authorities to the competent candidates to serve the specific departments. This implies that before you apply for the license, you must choose the department you are interested to work in. The major security departments in the UK include:

·         Door Supervisor, responsible to work at the various licensed as well as unlicensed premises and guard the doors to prevent the entry of unauthorised and unwanted individuals

·         Security Guard, responsible to guard the entire premises as a whole and work with the other security personnel in a team

·         CCTV operator, be in-charge of the control room and operate various equipment to maintain an effective watch all over the individuals within the premises

Thus, before you apply for the license, you must choose the field and job role that suits your lifestyle and passion. For this purpose, you can check out the various SIA security training courses offered in the nation and compare out the course modules and necessary skills of the specific to the department.

Applying for the SIA license

Joining any of the SIA security training courses you are interested in makes it much easier for you to apply for the license and subsequently the job role. Not only the training provider guides you on all the relevant topics but also notifies the SIA about your performance as soon as you qualify the course assessment. It saves you the time of waiting for the license application process until you physically obtain the certificate. After you have successfully completed the assessment, all you need to do is visit the official website of the SIA and apply for the specific license that you prepared for. It takes about a couple of weeks for the SIA to send you the license. Once you obtain the license, you can start applying for the open opportunities and get started in your chosen career path.

Can you apply for more than one license?

If you have the knowledge and skills, you can apply for as many security licenses as you want. Even if you do not have the skills, you can join the training from any of the SIA recognised training providers and develop the specific skills sets before you apply for the license. Applying for more than one license just helps you to increase your skills, expertise, and scopes of landing a job in the private security industry.

Things to Consider before Joining a Security Course in the UK

The private security industry is expanding at a quick rate in the UK and a lot of job opportunities are being created for the interested candidates. But there are quite a few things that you must remember as a candidate before applying for the security training courses in the UK. Some of the most important ones are discussed below in this article.

1.      Choosing the right course

There are a variety of departments within the private security industry and you must choose the right security training course as per their passion and interest. The door supervisor course prepares you to supervise the doors whereas the CCTV training prepares the candidate to work in the surveillance room and operate the equipment. Each course varies in its objectives and purpose and must be wisely chosen.

2.      Right training provider

There are a lot of security training providers in the UK but only a few are recognised by the SIA. It is necessary to ensure that the training provider you choose holds the SIA recognition and has relevant experience in the industry. Choosing an SIA recognised training provider makes the license application process easier.

3.      Effective communication

It is one of the prime skills that you will need irrespective of the job role you join in the private security industry. You will often be required to communicate with the other team members, the guests or the visitors, and the higher authorities as well.

4.      Team working abilities

You cannot ensure the safety and security of the entire premises all by yourself. The various security operatives work in teams, and the teams work as a unit to enhance efficiency. The surveillance teams work as the eye of the ground staffs and help to look into areas that are physically inaccessible by the security guards. The door supervisors guard the doors and prevent unauthorised or unwanted entry, thus achieving complete security. It is impossible without a sound team working abilities.

5.      Training

During the training, you will be taught of the various rules and regulations of the industry along with the much essential practical skills essential to handle the real-life problems on the job role. The SIA syllabus can provide you a rough idea to qualify the assessment but you would not only be under-confident but incompetent on the job role as well.

6.      Qualification

The qualification of the security training course assessment is the key. Most of the training providers assess the candidates based on the written assignment and practical tests before awarding the qualifying certificates. Without qualifying the assessment, you cannot apply for the SIA license.

7.      License

The license is the key to apply for any of the job roles in the market. In this context, you must remember that separate licenses are issued by the SIA for each of the specific departments and you cannot apply to one job role with the license of another, e.g., you cannot apply for a door supervisor job role with a CCTV operative license. But you can apply for multiple courses and earn multiple licenses, thus earning eligibility for each of the job roles.

8.      Honesty

It is one of the most essential elements without which you cannot work in the private security industry. You will often be entrusted with the responsibility to take care of the premises during the night time. A criminal background check and trustworthiness are two of the mandatory elements that must be presented apart from the SIA license.

9.      Vigilance

In the private security industry, you cannot afford to be careless even for a moment. You must be alert at all times and maintain vigilance over all that is going on. Observation is a prime skill that must be developed to excel in this industry.

10.  Standards

The various standards that you will be taught during the security training courses must not be neglected. It is necessary to abide by them and ensure their maintenance within the industry. It not only helps to improve customer services but also works helps to increase the efficiency of the team.

As you start working in the private security industry and start earning experience, you can improve your pay rates rapidly. But it depends on your qualifications, experience and job location as well. You can earn more licenses to increase the chances as well.