Mandatory refresher training made available by Security Industry Authority

The SIA is encouraging licence holders to take the training as soon as possible. The courses are available now in order to allow individual licence holders sufficient time to plan and book places on courses before the qualifications become mandatory next year. The training is available nationally from approved training providers.

Tony Holyland, head of individual standards for the SIA, explained: “Protecting members of the public is at the heart of what we do. For their part, professional security operatives undergo training to give them the skills they need to keep people safe. We know that skills can fade over time, which is why the training being rolled out is so very important. This is about raising standards in private security provision and refreshing those fundamental skills to help security operatives deal with the ever-changing threats posed by the modern world.”

The news follows on from last month’s announcement that the SIA was planning to introduce mandatory refresher training to help security officers and door supervisors refresh their skills and learn up-to-date content on topics including terrorism threat awareness.

Refresher training content

Alongside the requirement to present an up-to-date Emergency First Aid certificate, the following will be included in the refresher training:

For security officers 

*conducting searches 

*terrorism threat awareness (Action Counters Terrrorism/You can ACT certificate) 

*protecting people in vulnerable situations

For door supervisors 

*conducting searches 

*physical intervention 

*protecting people in vulnerable situations, including content on ‘spiking’ 

* terrorism threat awareness (Action Counters Terrrorism/You can ACT certificate)

Individuals holding a door supervisor licence can choose one of the following options: 

*take the door supervisor refresher training and renew their door supervisor licence 

*take the security officer refresher training and switch to a security officer licence

Setting standards

The SIA works with the private security industry to set standards and with Awarding Organisations to ensure the qualifications are offered via approved training providers.

Accredited ‘top-up’ awards were introduced for security officers and door supervisors in October 2021 as a requirement for renewing licences.

For their part, Awarding Organisations will continue to offer  the ‘top-up’ qualifications until the end of January next year. This means that any licence holders who have yet to complete these qualifications can do so.