Unfortunately, criminality does not take days off. Therefore, it’s not enough to have a training day once a year for your security specialists or even one every few months.
Security specialists need continuous security training to stay on top of emerging threats, including keeping up with the latest in security technology to keep themselves and their clients safe. Continuous security training allows specialists always to be one step ahead when a threat arises.
Why Continuous Training?
Many fields require ongoing education for staff and management. However, typically the requirements are a few hours every year or every other year. The security profession is different because the landscape changes so rapidly. The security field contains so many topics and sub-topics that it would be challenging to cover them all during a once-a-year training. It would also be impossible for everyone to walk away feeling thoroughly educated.
At many security firms, each security specialist must take dedicated training and career advancement courses. Although each firm has their own curriculum, a training division should ideally provide:
● Leadership development courses for supervisors and management
● Advanced tactical training for armed officers, school resource officers, bank and high-value security specialists
● Personal protection specialist training
● And if the firm is more established, it could provide consulting services, such as site assessments, threat/vulnerability assessments, security planning, staff training and drills, and de-escalation training to other security firms.
If security firms do not currently have a dedicated continuous training division, there are other options, including hiring a security consulting firm that provides ongoing training or working with a security consulting firm to help set one up to continue in-house. There are many options, but one thing is for sure, continuous training is no longer an option but a must to successfully work in the security industry.
There are many more reasons for security specialists to have continuous training, including:
1. Evolving Security Threats
It’s essential to keep up with evolving threats, innovative criminal techniques, and solutions to everyday problems. Continuous training helps keep security professionals on their feet and gives them the confidence to handle any situation.
2. Employee Engagement
Studies show that employees who receive continuous or frequent training feel empowered and more engaged in their work. New information gives staff a sense of pride and confidence. When you invest in your employees, you show them respect which builds trust and retention.
3. Knowledge Retention
In our fast-paced world, it isn’t easy to retain new knowledge. Using continuous training, you can educate your people in familiar ways to create muscle memory, so they don’t have to think, just react with the proper response. When people hear the same thing repeatedly, they retain it better.
4. Self-Awareness
Continuous training helps security officers to become self-aware and more skilled at evaluating a situation, noticing when things are “off,” and looking for opportunities to improve security. Well-trained security guards will catch things quicker and be more watchful for threats of any kind. Additionally, armed with tangible skills, they will be more successful in their positions. Nothing is worse than facing a situation where you were not adequately trained.
5. Build Skills
When you offer continuous training, you allow your officers to build solid skills to use in the real world. Even if they don’t encounter these situations in their jobs, they will be well-equipped and ready when the time comes.
6. Build Collaboration
When employees train together, they form bonds like a true team. That collaboration may inspire innovative solutions, staff participation, and helpful suggestions. Everyone has something to share, and everyone is a teacher and a student.
The security-guard-asleep-at-the-front-desk-and-clumsily-fumbling-around-when-faced-with-danger stereotype days are long gone. The reality is that security specialists today come from various professional backgrounds, are highly trained and continue to train to serve and protect properly.
