Page 24 - the SyI Quarterly

Education and Learning
Giving back
But it does not end with what can be taken from The Security Institute. The organisation relies on its
membership to contribute to furthering its aims and objectives. There are various ways that members can
contribute including participation in the Validation Board where new members are assessed, or participation
in one of the many special interest groups ran throughout the year. Voluntary work is particularly rewarding
and allows the CPD points to be piled up!
Wherever you are on your professional journey, knowing where the next stop is facilitates growth. Whether
those steps are large or small, try and be a better professional than you were yesterday. A planned approach
to CPD with the support of the Security Institute will allow you to own your personal development. OWN IT!
- By Pete Jones, ¬ MBA MSc CSyP FSyI MBCS CTSP
“Security” encompasses the state of being free from danger or threat and embarking on a career in
professional security management provides individuals with the opportunity to really make a difference to
the everyday lives of others. Existing as a means of offering protection in a progressively risky world, many are
now electing to enter into the arena as a first career choice, rather than an end- point after a lengthy career in
the police or military. This is perhaps due to the fact that professional security management is an increasingly
fascinating and fast-paced environment; there are very few industries that change as rapidly. Concerningly,
every exciting advancement presents a new challenge for criminals to overcome and consistently,
organisations and the people at their core remain prime targets for attack. It is therefore paramount that
modern security professionals at the forefront of threat-analysis keep-up with core developments in the field,
by means of continued professional development and knowledge-gain.
It is widely accepted that when recruiting candidates for specific job roles, evidence of suitable training
stands-out. Although sector-specific experience remains a very desirable and often a required factor for many
appointments, recognised security qualifications are increasingly sought after. But one only need spend a few
moments trawling the internet to become utterly bamboozled by the sheer amount of training programmes
on offer today. It therefore becomes crucial that individuals seeking to enter into or move around within the
professional security domain consider the most appropriate pathway that they can take, in order to progress.
Beginning our journeys
So how do we begin our individual journeys? Firstly, it is important to establish what it is you wish to achieve
within your career – do you want to specialise in a niche area, becoming the go-to person for your chosen
field? Or do you want to have a broad knowledge of all things security management so that you can establish
yourself within a managerial position? Have you spared a thought as to what sphere you would like to
work in, be it public or private? And have you considered the challenges presented by the current security
landscape - are you hoping to work towards addressing some of these problem areas through the work that
you will do? These are all key questions that you should be asking yourself when considering entering into the
professional security management sector or moving around within the field. In a sense, you should ‘map it
out’. Once you have considered these questions and whittled your list down to a select few desirable roles, it
is highly recommended that you approach professional membership organisations – like The Security Institute
or ASIS – in order to gain access to a range of professionals further established in their own journeys and
willing to share advice. The Security Institute’s Mentoring Platform is invaluable for this. When choosing a new
role, it is very beneficial to be aware of the good, the bad, and the ugly, and to scrutinize the list of required
responsibilities for a particular position. Remember, the world of professional security management is an
exceptionally vast one – the possibilities are limitless and the responsibilities you will undertake inform the
training you should seek-out.
The role of training providers
Providers of professional security training should also be able to assist you with your scoping mission; any
provider worth their salt should have an excellent knowledge of pathway building and conversations with
reputable training companies should be focused on helping you to achieve a goal. Don’t ever feel backed into
a corner and forced into a decision you aren’t fully comfortable with when speaking with training providers.
It is perfectly acceptable and in fact, very much encouraged that you pick-up the phone and ring training
providers for conversations at this stage. Working within the professional security management training
field for over eight years myself, I spend a lot of time talking through options with potential learners and
formulating feasible and cost-effective plans. This is standard and an incredibly necessary part of the process.
The qualifications you need
Now that you have determined what area you would like to work in and have become equipped with an
understanding of what is expected of you within the role, it is time to get ahead of the competition and add
some qualifications to your CV. As mentioned, there is an overwhelming abundance of courses out there
today however, the simplest way to establish your needs is by identifying what each training programme
can bring to you and your CV. This should be made very clear by training providers through their marketing
materials. To start, there are accredited qualifications that provide you with internationally recognised
certifications (BTEC, QNUK, SFJ – to name but a few), and then there are non-accredited courses, intended
purely for knowledge-gain purposes. Accredited courses will always be awarded by a recognised awarding
body, and should be accompanied by a level (i.e. level 4 BTEC Award). The level of a course is determined by
the complexity of the tasks that you will undertake to achieve your qualification. For example, at the lower end
we have the level 3 which is equivalent to post-A Level study, followed by a level 5 – a first year, foundation
degree and finally a level 7 – a Masters. At level 3, you may be expected to identify and/or explain particular
concepts within a wider field, whereas at level 7, you will be expected to hone in (in substantial detail) on a
particular niche, demonstrating a good level of critical analysis informed by vast research. The higher the level
of the course, the more likely it becomes that it will be accompanied by set eligibility criteria. When considering
eligibility criteria, it is paramount that you seek advice from the training provider and that you pay attention
to the qualification title – either Award, Certificate or Diploma. These groupings determine the amount of
hours that you will have to dedicate to study, with a Diploma course requiring upwards of 360 hours. Do not
be disheartened if you do not meet these criteria, you can always work your way up over time, ergo carving a
pathway towards a set goal.
25