Training and Professional Development SIG update

We need to promote the varied careers pathways that exist within the private security industry, writes Andy Gollings, Chairperson of the NZSA Training and Professional Development Special Interest Group and Red Badge Group CEO.

The Security Training and Professional Development Special Interest Group is continuing to look at the needs of the industry, and to help ensure that we continue to have industry training that will shape the workforce of the future.

We have recognised the challenges of low awareness and professional recognition of much of our industry and that the industry needs to work together to address this.

It seems that we will all benefit from wider recognition of the range of opportunities within our industry that would see people targeting development within our industry into leadership roles, as well as pursuing careers in specialist roles such as Security Technician, Security Integrator, Risk Manager or Project Manager.

We have traditionally spoken of our industry as a great pathway into the wider security sector of military, police or prison service. This still holds true, however, we should inspire our current workforce to develop a career within our industry, thereby enhancing the awareness and capability of our own industry.

The NZSA has been doing some great work with the Ministry of Education Security Career Events through New Zealand schools and in the development of the Security Career Pathways website. The link to this website is https://securitycareers. co.nz.

There is a lot of good information on the site. The NZSA would welcome feedback on the contents and would encourage you to share this and the opportunities within our sector with your workforce and your community.

The NZSA and partner SkillsVR are also now using Virtual Reality technology to train and assess the COA Unit Standards, with the VR being able to provide a high standard of simulation of at risk situations, allowing trainees to feel how they might react in real life.

The Skills Organisation has been working hard on the resources for an updated New Zealand Certificate in Security Level 3. This is planned to be available for use by the end of August. This is an exciting new development allowing online learning to a consistent standard anywhere in the country.

It has been reported that literacy and numeracy remains a challenge within our industry. This is nothing to be ashamed of, as it is a challenge faced across the New Zealand workforce.

To not work towards overcoming or addressing this challenge would be a shame. To this end the Special Interest Group is investigating the viability of a programme designed to support front line leadership understand and work to support the literacy challenges of those within their team. I feel that this is an exciting development as there is nothing more vital to the success of our staff than the capability and understanding of the people that lead them.

The NZSA and the Special Interest Group are committed to making a positive difference to our industry and the people that work within it. If you have concerns or need questions answered I invite you to reach out, we are all in this together.

Andy Gollings, STPDSIG Chair, and CEO, Red Badge Group.