Training organisations and individual trainers who wish to be involved in any of the SIA approved qualifications should contact an SIA endorsed awarding body who will consider them for approval. There are four awarding bodies that have expressed an interest in offering the new security guarding qualification: ASET; City & Guilds; Edexcel; NOCN and SQA.

New Training Qualifications Framework

Lifelong Learning UK (in collaboration with the DfES) is introducing a new teaching qualifications framework, which comes into force from September 2007. The new framework will apply only to England but may be extended in the future to cover the rest of Great Britain. Guidance on meeting the requirements of the new framework has been published by Skills for Security: it can be downloaded from their website. Our competency specifications will be updated to include the new teacher/trainer qualifications, subject to Ministerial approval.

Training Qualifications Currently Required by the SIA

The SIA requires all trainers who train candidates for SIA-endorsed licensing qualifications to hold a teaching or training qualification at a minimum of NQF Level 3 or equivalent, accredited by QCA, SQA or endorsed by the HE Academy. Further Education teaching certificates will also be acceptable if the individual enrolled on the course before 30 September 2005 and is able to provide evidence of this.

Some examples of relevant teaching or training qualifications at Level 3 or above are:

City & Guilds

• City & Guilds Level 3 Certificate in Teaching Adult Learners (7307)
• City & Guilds Level 3 Certificate in Delivering Learning (7302)
• City & Guilds Level 4 Certificate in Further Education Teaching (7407)

Edexcel

• Edexcel Level 4 BTEC Award in Instructional Techniques
• Edexcel Level 4 BTEC Certificate in Instructional Techniques
• Edexcel Level 4 BTEC Certificate in FE Teaching

Also, a range of qualifications comprising NVQ units including:

• Edexcel Level 3 Advanced Certificate in Training and Presenting
• Edexcel Level 3 Advanced Certificate in Skills Training
• Edexcel Level 3 Advanced Certificate in Workplace Learning

Other qualifications

• CIPD Level 3 Certificate in Training Practice

Other relevant NVQs/SVQs

• Level 3 in Direct Training Support
• Levels 3, 4 & 5 in Learning and Development

This list is not exhaustive and awarding bodies may require attendance in additional train-the-trainer courses in order to deliver the training outlined in the SIA specification (download size: 381kb). This specification was revised in April 2007.

Trainers who are unsure about their current qualifications or who wish to check their eligibility may do so by contacting any of the SIA endorsed awarding bodies.

Qualifications for Trainers of Conflict Management

The SIA requires all trainers delivering scenario-based conflict management training for the SIA approved qualifications to have received relevant training. Trainers are required to hold an NQF Level 3 qualification in the delivery of conflict management training. These are:

• Edexcel Level 3 BTEC Certificate in Conflict Management Training
• City & Guilds Level 3 Certificate for Deliverers of Conflict Management Training

Sector Competence for Approved Trainers

Trainers delivering training for the SIA approved qualifications must demonstrate that they have the necessary understanding of the relevant licensing sector. Requirements for sector competence are published in each sector's 'Specification for Core Competency Training and Qualifications' (download size: 381kb). This specification was revised in April 2007.

Qualification Exemptions

Information on how we process formal training exemptions from the UK and overseas is available in our Core Competency Exemption Policy (download size: 392kb).