Developing Private Security Capability – An opportunity for industry collaboration

October 9, 2023

Below is an open letter to those employed in the security industry from Jason Towse – Security Skills Board Chair.  As the leading companies in the security industry, we hope that members of The ACS Pacesetters will support this campaign.

Dear Colleagues,

The Security Skills Board are currently leading an important project which will define key private security capabilities and create a foundational framework on which to build a future National Skills Academy.

The private security profession map will set out the capabilities including behaviours required for high performance and provide a way of navigating career steps to achieve progression.

Why now?

Our industry faces many challenges in terms of how to attract, develop and retain a talented and diverse security workforce. We appreciate and understand that addressing this and getting this right facilitates growing buyer confidence in our capacity to deliver quality security products and services expected by today’s buyers. Simply put, this is about investing in employees and being clear about this means for private security professionals, their organisations, and the benefits to their clients and public they serve.

Why get involved?

The Security Skills Board are working inclusively and collaboratively across industry with support from the SIA, with industry employers to understand skills needs. We will put the mechanisms in place to raise standards of performance and provide access to industry-wide career development, post licence-linked training, tools, and support. That is what our current and future workforce needs now to ensure we have a growing talent pipeline who choose to make private security a profession of choice.

The Board would like to collaborate with all existing security associations who currently play such a key role and provide key services to their members. We need to collectively understand what these capabilities could and should be. Opportunities exist to be part of the map research process and the Board would like to invite participation plus participation in a stakeholder forum for views and feedback. The SIA have appointed a research partner and they are collaborating with us and them to develop the map.

How can you help?

The Security Skills Board would like to invite association Directors and their members to support this project in the following ways:

• By setting aside commercial interests (as we have done as a board of key private security organisations). Give your support to this work, facilitate improved industry collaboration and retention.

• Recommend the project to existing PSO’s who may like to get involved with the research.

• Take part in a research workshop to support capability development.

• Share your views with us as a Board via a stakeholder forum

On behalf of all the board members I would welcome and encourage collaboration so we can all benefit and develop a future value proposition that works for everyone across our industry.

Best wishes
Jason Towse (Security Skills Board Chair)

This initiative is supported by ACS Pacesetters member Bold Security Group Limited and should any of our members wish to discuss this please make direct contact with John Lambert Managing Director [email protected]