Four London-based training providers can no longer provide SIA licence-linked training and 300 qualifications have been withdrawn following a wide-scale investigation into training malpractice.
After the SIA received intelligence about the centres, Operation Nevada was launched involving SIA investigators, the Metropolitan Police, awarding bodies (HABC, EDI, Edexcel), the qualifications regulator OfQual, and the UK Border Agency. One individual has been arrested by police on suspicion of fraud, and the police and the UKBA are continuing to investigate various offences.
Unannounced visits led by the SIA took place at training providers in locations across London and South East of England on 12 November 2010. Evidence was found of serious training malpractice, such as the centres registering candidates and awarding them certificates when they had not sat the examination.
As a result, four London-based training providers – Divine College, St Joseph’s College of Science and Technology, ME Training and Inter-Continental College – have had their approval to provide training withdrawn by their awarding bodies.
More than 300 certificates awarded to candidates registered with these centres have been withdrawn. Of these qualifications, 69 had been used to obtain an SIA licence (Door Supervision), all of which have been suspended. These licence holders have a 90 day period following the suspension to gain a valid qualification, after which time their licence will be revoked.
SIA Director of Compliance and Enforcement Dave Humphries said: “Investigations into allegations of training malpractice are a key part of our compliance activity. In the interest of public protection it is vital that all operatives working in the security industry are properly trained to deal with the demands of their role.
“This operation involved very successful joint working with partner organisations and has provided a model that will be used again in the future to close down training providers where there is evidence of misconduct.”