The British Security Industry Association (BSIA) claims its new deal to assume sole ownership of Skills for Security will benefit the industry as a whole.
Skills for Security, the sector skills body for the private security industry, was formed in 2006 following the Security Industry Training Organisation’s divergence from the BSIA.
The new deal with the BSIA, which has been approved by board members of both organisations, brings the body back into the responsibility of the security industry as it becomes a wholly-owned subsidiary of the trade association.
There are currently no plans for the two businesses to be fully integrated but the BSIA’s strong links with the industry is seen as key to the success of the two organisations, with the new acquisition bringing Skills for Security closer to shifting industry forces.
James Kelly, Chief Executive of the BSIA, told SecurityNewsDesk: “We are anticipating that the new partnership with Skills for Security will bring about several benefits for both organisations, and also for the industry at large.
“Commercially, the BSIA hopes to leverage its industry links to support Skills’ training agenda. In the past, very little of Skills’ business was generated from BSIA member companies, and that’s a situation that we’re hoping to change going forward.”
It also ensures key security training standards, in particular the National Occupational Standards, are controlled by the industry.
Mr Kelly described bringing training standards back under the industry remit as vital, as opposed to seeing Skills for Security absorbed by a larger sector skills council
“There would have been a risk that the specification of standards might not be wholly compatible with the industry’s requirements, a situation that we especially wanted to avoid,” he added.
