Page 32 - the SyI Quarterly 13 - (V4)

Education and Learning
The Security Institute Distance
Learning Qualifications: Your
Questions Answered!
- by Rhiannon Limbert, Pertpetuity ARC Training
Working with learners day in, day out, we’ve
come to understand some of the most common
questions they have before embarking on a
training programme with us. It won’t surprise you
to know that many learners have similar questions
to one another: What are the modules, how can
I pay, how many credits is it worth, and so on. To
that end, we’ve put together this handy FAQ guide
to address some of the more common questions
and concerns we come across and hopefully clear
up any confusion that may be preventing you
from considering further study.
At PerpetuityARC Training, we deliver a suite of
online, virtual, in-house and classroom training.
But it’s no surprise that the most popular training
courses are the online Security Management
training programmes delivered in partnership with
the Security Institute:
• The Security Institute Advanced Certificate in
Security Management SRF BTEC Level 3
• The Security Institute Diploma in Security
Management SRF BTEC Level 5
• The Security Institute Advanced Diploma in
Security Management [QNUK Endorsed] Level
7 reiterating in your own words) and applying your
The titles might be long but don’t be put off! In
this guide, we’ve separated the questions into two
sections: one focusing on the Security Institute
Advanced Certificate in Security Management
SRF BTEC Level 3, and the remainder focusing on
the Diploma in Security Management SRF BTEC
Level 5 and the Advanced Diploma in Security
Management [QNUK Endorsed] Level 7. Without
further ado, let’s begin…
32
The Security Institute Advanced Certificate in
Security Management SRF BTEC Level 3
What can you tell me about the Level - what does
Level 3 mean?
A Level 3 qualification is the working equivalent to
A-level/post A-level study. This means learners will
work towards meeting the same academic targets,
including demonstrating an understanding of
the course materials (reading the material then
own examples. Learners will also need to be able
to follow lines of questioning and answer two-part
questions, for example ‘describe and explain’.
A common example of a question at Level 3 is
the following: According to the text, what are
the responsibilities of the Security Manager at
‘Fictitious Company A’?
What are the immediate benefits of this course?
There are a huge number of immediate benefits
from joining these courses, benefits that have
real meaning to your everyday role as a security
professional:
• Free Security Institute student membership
for the duration of your studies which also
qualifies you for additional PerpetuityARC
Training course discounts
• Access to the Security Institute mentoring
platform
• Industry networking events throughout the
year
• Free CPD webinars with industry specialists
covering a range of topics from mental health, All learners are assessed through a series of short
CSyP application workshops, and study toolkits written answers guided by the use of scenarios.
• Access to the Security Institute job’s board
listing the latest jobs across the industry.
From an academic point of view, these training
programmes will introduce learners to new
concepts and people across the industry. The
material you’re learning has immediate real-world the programme, as well having access to various
application to your job role. You’ll also gain an
internationally recognised BTEC certificate and
support upon a guided career training pathway
– following on with the Level 5 and 7 courses.
Finally, the Level 3 programme allows you to
pick and mix the modules depending on what’s
relevant to you and your job role.
What modules can I study?
The Level 3 Advanced Certificate is made up of
six modules: three core modules (non-optional)
and three elective. The three core modules are
as follows: Introduction to Security Management,
Security Department Management, and
Information Security. This is supplemented by a
further three elective modules of your choice.
The choice of elective modules are as follows:
• Health & Safety
• Strategic Security
• Retail Security
• Physical Security
• Terrorism awareness & Management
• Risk, Crisis and Disaster Management
How do I relate the materials that I study to ‘real-
world’ best practice?
By putting it into practice during training. This
course not only introduces learners to security
management concepts, but also introduces
you to relevant policies and procedures within
the security management sector. It does this
by focusing on key pieces of legislation and
their application to the ‘real-world’. Additionally,
you are encouraged to apply the theory you’re
learning to experiences extrapolated from your
own workplace. This ensures effective knowledge
application and retention.
How am I assessed
This work is then marked against set assessment
criteria which, upon successful completion,
culminates in the BTEC Level 3 Advanced
Certificate. To aid in the best chance of success
learners will be supported by their very own
PerpetuityARC Training course tutor throughout
resources on the online learning platform.
Diploma in Security Management and
Advanced Diploma in Security Management
What is the difference between a Level 5/6/7?
Quite a bit! The qualifications are obviously
different but there’s the time required to
complete. Generally speaking, the more advanced
the level, the more time is needed to complete
the course. There’s also a marked difference
in academic writing skill. With regards to our
courses, the Level 7 Advanced Diploma requires
a significantly higher level of academic ability
and time compared to the Level 3 or Level 5
courses, so do bear this in mind. Finally due to
the awarding level and complexity of the course
there are different price points depending on the
course and level.
Try not to be put off by the intensity of a higher-
level qualification. Attaining these qualifications
opens career doors for the holder so is definitely
worth considering if you’re really looking to push
through the industry. A Level 7 is THE penultimate
level you can do before an academic PHD as it is,
in essence, an extract of a Master’s degree.