Training

Schools workshops

by Mark Rowe

After Skills for Security’s schools workshops, most, 88 per cent, of female students were interested in finding out more about the security industry and its careers, the skills body says.

As part of an Equality and Diversity project with the Equality Challenge Unit (ECU) and the Skills Funding Agency (SFA), Skills for Security aimed to encourage females to consider security as a career choice and set out to tackle some of the preconceptions of an industry that is 92pc male.

The project, which started in January and continued until June 2015, engaged with schools across the UK aiming to increase their knowledge of the security sector and the careers it offers. By understanding the schools’ thoughts on the industry, Skills for Security (SfS) says that it has been able to develop detailed guidance material for schools and employers.

SfS delivered workshops with schools and students as an introduction to the security industry with ‘have a go’ sessions and a guest speaker. Most students attending reported that they hadn’t considered the security industry as a career as it was male dominated and there was of a fear of not ‘fitting in’. SfS adds that it was clear that teachers and career advisers were not aware of the range of career routes available in the security industry, however, students in the workshop showed more interest in the security industry than they had before the session.

In total 79pc of students were interested in getting further information about the security industry, and interestingly, out of those students that took part in the peer focus group, 30pc of male students and 88pc of female students, indicated an interest in getting further information on the security industry after the session.

One student commented: “The workshop has given me a greater ambition of working in the industry as I have learnt there is a lot more to it than just being a bodyguard.”

SfS adds that the workshops and focus groups with students have enabled it to gather valuable feedback on student opinions of the security industry and what employers could do to attract more students and what careers and training would and would not be considered, and why. This information, with feedback from women already working in security and from employers, allowed a toolkit to be developed to enable employers to better target recruitment campaigns with advice and guidance on procuring and retaining female staff.

The employer’s toolkit can be found online here: http://www.skillsforsecurity.org.uk//gfx/pictures/1437160578.pdf

A series of careers progression pathways for different professions in the security industry are also available for learners, teachers, career guidance and employers to understand the training and qualifications needed to progress in a job.

SfS points also to relationships it’s developed with employers and groups such as the Women in Security Society and ASIS international and from these built a network of female mentors and case studies to motivate students, employers and employees to look at what could be available to them.

Dawn Holmes, advocates the training and opportunities available in the security industry as she progressed from warehouse supervisor to vice president of corporate security at Bank of America Merrill Lynch.

Visit http://www.skillsforsecurity.org.uk//gfx/pictures/1433848317.pdf

Terri Jones, Director General at Skills for Security said: “In a short space of time the Skills for Security team were able to address many of the misconceptions the students had about the industry and really emphasise that there are a huge array of career opportunities available and we want to continue to ensure that girls are considering jobs ranging from guarding to the development of biometric security systems.”

For more on the project or the material mentioned, contact Skills for Security at [email protected] or on 01905 744000.

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