Personal development has not stopped for Covid-19; quite the opposite; during lockdown, whether furloughed or as busy or even more busy than ever, many have embraced the time to take up or carry on with training. We’ve tried to trace that, and some of the options, whether you seek a work-based qualification or are just thinking of learning for learning’s sake.
Here’s one man’s story; Steven Green’s, pictured, as told in the July 2020 print edition of Professional Security magazine.
“Over the last year while managing my current team, I and the company I work for MAN Commercial Protection [Solihull-based ACS Pacesetters guarding firm, featured in our April edition], came to the realisation that while we were providing a high level of service to our client, we could further improve it, by upskilling me with the relevant UK knowledge and way of doing things, so to speak. And although I had completed the industry standard courses required (door supervision, CCTV) to work in the security industry it wasn’t enough; and we decided to approach Mercury Training who after assessing my local knowledge and capabilities drew up a tailor-made training course that would strengthen and improve my knowledge of the local industry.”
First line management
Professional Security asked: What course? “Security First Line Management 367, equipping me with the knowledge, skills and behaviours required to professionally manage a security team. The course material covers a range of modules such as health and safety in the workplace, security site surveys, improvement, planning and implementation to name but a few. We asked: how is he finding it? It’s really beneficial, with each module tailored to my specific needs, in my case I have over 20 years’ experience in the security industry; however the bulk of those being overseas in South Africa where I’m from. The bulk of those years were with ADT Security in South Africa where I started as a business development manager before working my way up through the ranks to branch manager for the Southern Cape responsible for looking after over 9000 clients.”
MoD client
“Whilst the general principles of security remain the same, the laws that influence them and govern them aren’t, the training I’m doing is equipping me with the knowledge and skill set to effectively manage a high performance teams for a MoD client such as Meggitt Aerospace. What I enjoy about my course is that my facilitator isn’t just a trainer teaching content, but rather a security professional who has worked in the security industry over a period, who I can relate to and seek advice from.”
About Steven Green
“About myself? We immigrated here at the end of March last year and have been in my present role for just over a year where I’m employed by Man Commercial as Contract Manager for Meggitt Aerospace; this role started as overseeing just one of their sites but has now grown to three with their Ansty and Loughborough sites.”
Mercury Training interview, also in the July 2020 print edition; see also https://professionalsecurity.co.uk/news/training/mercury-seeks-trainers/.
More on security management and other training in the August 2020 edition.
