2 minute read
Security Training and Professional Development SIG
The NZSA Special Interest Group for Training and Professional Development has had a big year. Chairperson Andy Gollings reflects on a productive 2020.
A key objective of this group is to support the development of a professional industry that offers training, career pathways and opportunities. It has been recognised for some time that the security industry has some challenges. We have struggled for recognition as a valued service and therefore have struggled to be a valued vocation across New Zealand.
This unfortunately is almost selffulfilling as if we struggle to attract the right people to our industry we will struggle to improve the levels of service and therefore that value that we are perceived as providing.
2020 could eventually provide us with a real catalyst for change. Our industry stepped up and provided much needed reassurance during the various alert levels and to help protect our border at the Managed Isolation Facilities. The fact that our industry could offer much needed employment at a difficult time for many has also allowed the industry to attract people who may have never considered this sector otherwise.
On top of the events above, 2020 has also seen the refresh of the training for the Certificate of Approval, and the establishment of a new NZ Certificate in Security Levels 3 and 4 with the Level 2 resources being developed on our behalf by the Skills Organisation.
These resources will be available by the second quarter of 2021. We have also seen some real traction for the NZ Certificate in Electronic Security and the introduction of a qualification for call centre and monitoring centre personnel.
NZSA and Skills have supported a mandatory refresher training for our Conflict Management Trainers across the country, which should address some of the previous inconsistencies of this training. They also hold a register of these approved trainers and these people are the only trainers that are approved to deliver conflict management training to security officers for the COA. If you don’t know if your trainer is approved, you should be checking this list on the Skills website.
Another initiative that has the potential to provide real value is the MSD/NZSA initiative to embrace virtual reality training. This approach is certain to improve the consistency and availability of training across the country. It also has the potential to simulate situations, in a safe environment, to test and develop appropriate responses from trainees.
In progress currently is the development of a website that outlines career opportunity, training requirements and progression within the industry. This is designed to show potential employees the opportunities that exist within our industry and could also be a great vehicle to inform industry and our customers of the opportunities that exist for us to develop our services and our personnel.
There are many training opportunities that either exist now, or are in stages of development. If you have questions I invite you to reach out to myself or the NZSA. We need to work as an industry to make use of these opportunities and demand higher standards of each other. As an industry we operate in a position of trust and we need to work together to improve our standards of professionalism so that we can continue to operate in this position and provide the security and assurance that our communities require.
