The “Lets build the security industry together” speech by the Chairman of the Security Industry Authority (SIA), Baroness Ruth Henig at the Annual SIA conference on the fourteenth of June 2010 was both welcome and timely. This is a significant opportunity for all stakeholders to develop a blueprint for the creation of a modern and vibrant security industry that is beneficial. The SIA Chief Executive said that whilst the SIA could create the environment it was the industry with the assistance of the SIA that needed to become the change driver. Surprisingly, we have not heard any public resp...

Continuing our Election Fever series where Infologue.com asks industry leaders what they we like to see from a new Government do for the Security Industry. David Greer, the Chief Executive of Skills for Security, told Infologue.com that he wanted a new Government to innovate out of recession with  increased investment in the continued development of the skills of our industry’s workforce, focussing on three key areas; SAFEGUARDING OUR FUTURE Maintain investment in apprenticeships INVESTING IN TODAY & TOMORROW Maintain investment in current workforce AVOIDING WASTING OUR TALENTS Su...

With election fever in full swing, Infologue.com asked representatives from the two security industry trade bodies, BSIA and IPSA as well as The Security Institute for their shopping lists on what they would like to see a new Government do to assist the Security Industry in achieving its objectives. It is fundamental to the growth of a professional and vibrant security industry to have government buy in and empathy with our issues. THE SECURITY INSTITUTE – MORE GOVERNMENT ENGAGEMENT WITH THE SECURITY INSTITUTE The Chairman of The Security Institute, Mike Bluestone said that he would like ...

In our second case study by The Security Institute Chairman, Mike Bluestone, writing in his personal capacity, looks at guarding services from the customer’s perspective, the concept of the ‘Corporate Security Culture’ and the role that guarding contractors can play in developing it. Mike believes that this case study highlights the fact that contract guarding assignments should be a real partnership between contractor and client. “Should clients not expect their guarding contractors to be a source of new ideas and impetus for change? This partnership should be a key driver to upgradin...

John Bates, Chief Executive of the British Security Industry Association (BSIA), examines whether the security industry is sufficiently prepared for a pandemic flu outbreak and if the Government should be factoring the industry into its emergency planning. Pandemic flu has certainly been a headline grabbing issue for the past few weeks with 47 cases of the 'swine flu' infection in the UK and almost 5000 worldwide. The situation does not seem to be escalating as seriously as expected, but undoubtedly it is a wake-up call for businesses and public sector organisations across the country as th...

Having spent his first hundred days at the helm of the BSIA, Chief Executive James Kelly shares exclusively with Infologue.com his first impressions of the security industry and outlines his strategy for taking the Association forward.  “My first few months of leadership at the BSIA have certainly been busy. Engaging with members and key industry stakeholders including government and other security bodies has enabled me to gain a good understanding of the priorities for both the Association and the private security industry as a whole. From these initial introductions, it is my perception ...

Annually, the SIA holds an independent review “to ensure that the Approved Contractor Scheme continues to serve the needs of security suppliers and buyers, and to identify any ways in which it may be improved.” As part of the review in 2010 the ACS are canvassing the views of suppliers and buyers of security services in an online survey. When it comes to the Security Industry Authority’s Approved Contractor Scheme everyone has an opinion and unsurprisingly each one is different. There are those who believe that the entry threshold is too low and in contrast there are those who believe t...

TPS has already recruited several university graduates into their security consultancy and explosion effects team as part of the scheme. The aim is to develop their skills in a structured and professional manner, tailored to the security arena by involving them in a unique training programme that will build on their first degrees, all of which are relevant to the security discipline. As part of their Continuous Professional Development (CPD) within TPS, over the next twelve months both will undertake monthly training modules that will provide them with the knowledge and skills necessary for t...

A real headache caused by TUPE has gone away writes employment lawyer Paul Housego of Beers LLP who specialise in employment law in the outsourced services sector.  Many public bodies have outsourced security work to outside firms – and of course these are tupe transfers so the contract win comes complete with guards. These guards often have contracts of employment with mechanisms for setting pay and conditions, so that salaries are not negotiated individually but collectively in a bargaining process for many workers. The trouble is that English law has taken a ‘dynamic’ view of such c...

In my last article, writes Bill Muskin, who is Chairman of the security company VSG Ltd. I explained the need for a quality mark to help purchasing professionals differentiate between the best security service providers and the rest.  I also mentioned that I am currently Chairing a working party on behalf of the BSIA, supported by the NSI and Skills for Security to compile a new standard that will do just this. In this article, I’m providing some more information about the new qualification. Please bear in mind, however, that it is a work in progress and there may be changes before the fina...