The Security Industry Authority (SIA) and the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) have agreed funding support for door supervisors who take the new SIA approved door supervisor training programme.
The SIA set the training standards and qualification levels of the new door supervisor course which meet the tough LSC criteria for funding. Working closely with the SIA the LSC has proposed a new innovative method of funding the door supervisor training for licensing. This will greatly benefit door supervisors who are about to undertake the new national training.
The SIA encouraged the LSC to identify more flexible ways to enable greater numbers of door supervisors to benefit from the funding support. The LSC will pioneer an approach that will for the first time enable colleges and individual training providers to establish local training networks to deliver increased training capacity.
The funding support is good news for door supervisors, for the licensed trade and for the public. The funding will pave the way for increased numbers of SIA licensed, well trained, professional door staff working at licensed premises. Licensees will benefit from increased professionalism amongst door staff and the public will benefit from the knowledge that SIA licensed door staff have high levels of skill and proficiency.
Door supervisor training which meets SIA skills criteria will be available from November 2003. The new funding arrangements will initially be provided in the SIA’s pilot licensing area – Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. Both the LSC and the SIA will monitor the arrangements with the aim of extending the funding arrangements to support the SIA national rollout of licensing.
The SIA and LSC believe the new arrangements will provide the basis for national funding support for the private security industry.
Training organisations are expected to charge between £250 – £350 for training courses and exams, though these charges may vary between different training providers. The LSC funding support will provide £102 per individual which will go to the training provider to off set the training fees and bringing the cost for door supervisors for parts 1 & 2 of the SIA qualification to around £150 – £250.
The funding incentive is to be initially piloted in Hampshire where the new training networks are currently being established. Details of how further training networks will be set up around the rest of the country will be announced on the SIA website and newsletter in due course. However, the roll-out arrangements are intended to precede the current SIA geographical plans for Door Supervisor applications (here) and details may not be fully available until early in 2004
Notes to Editors
1) The cost of the 30 hours of training and assessment will be set by the training providers, early indications suggest that training will cost around £250 – £350. Funding support should reduce the cost to the door supervisors by around a third.
2) The funding support will apply only in England.
3) Door supervisors will need to be licensed by the SIA if they are responsible for security, protection, screening the suitability of people entering premises or dealing with conflict in pubs, clubs and other licensed premises open to the public.
4) Applicants for the SIA door supervisor licence will need to provide proof of identity, pass a criminal records check and obtain an approved qualification for door supervision.
5) For further information about SIA Training and Qualifications click here