Guidance

Teaching SIA licence-linked training courses

The qualifications, experience and approval you must have to offer SIA licence-linked training courses.

From:
Security Industry Authority
Published
5 October 2020
Last updated
7 November 2024 — See all updates

On 1 April 2021 we introduced new licence-linked qualifications. We also introduced new requirements for training providers. Read more about these changes

You must meet certain requirements to offer the training that leads to an SIA licence-linked qualification.

You must be approved by an awarding organisation

You must get approval from an awarding organisation that offers SIA licence-linked qualifications.

The awarding organisations we have approved are:

  • BIIAB for Door Supervision, Public Space Surveillance (CCTV), Security Guarding
  • Highfield Qualifications for Close Protection, Door Supervision, Public Space Surveillance (CCTV), Security Guarding
  • Pearson BTEC for Close Protection, Door Supervision, Public Space Surveillance (CCTV), Security Guarding, Vehicle Immobilising
  • Qualifications Network for Close Protection, Door Supervision, Public Space Surveillance (CCTV), Security Guarding
  • SFJ Awards for Close Protection, Door Supervision, Public Space Surveillance (CCTV), Security Guarding
  • Trident Awards (Laser Learning Awards) for Cash and Valuables in Transit, Door Supervision, Public Space Surveillance (CCTV), Security Guarding

You must be competent in the sector

If you are new to training, then:

  • for cash and valuables in transit - you must have at least 12 months’ front line experience from within the last 3 years
  • for close protection, door supervision, public space surveillance (CCTV), security guarding and vehicle immobilising - you must have at least 2 years’ front-line operational experience from within the last 5 years

For all sectors except close protection, your experience must be from within the UK. For close protection, awarding organisations may accept experience from outside the UK. Your awarding organisation will be able to advise you on this.

Continuous professional development (CPD)

If you are already a trainer, assessor, or internal quality assurer you must spend at least 40 hours every year keeping your knowledge and skills up to date. We refer to this as continuous professional development, or CPD.

Examples of how you can do this include:

  • attending relevant conferences and seminars
  • working in the security sector
  • asking a peer to review your work
  • shadowing a peer to learn from them
  • asking someone to mentor you
  • taking additional training
  • joining a professional network or special interest group

You must be able to demonstrate that you have done the 40 hours of CPD we require.

Delivering the SIA licence-linked training does not itself count as continuous professional development. CPD is activity you have done in addition to delivering the training.

You must have the right qualifications

Qualifications for all trainers

You must have achieved the Award in Education and Training (QCF/RQF level 3 or SCQF level 6), or 1 of the following:

  • a teaching or training qualification at QCF/RQF Level 3 or SCQF Level 6, accredited by SQA Accreditation/QCA/Ofqual or validated by a higher education institution
  • a teaching or training qualification equivalent to a QCF/RQF Level 3 or SCQF Level 6 qualification

Examples of qualifications we accept as “equivalent” are:

  • Level 4 Award in Education and Training (QCF/RQF) 
  • Level 4 Certificate in Education and Training (QCF/RQF)
  • Level 5 Diploma in Education and Training (QCF/RQF)
  • Professional Certificate in Education (PCET)
  • Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE)
  • SVQs in Learning and Development at SCQF Level 8 and 9  
  • NVQ Levels 3 and 4 in Learning and Development 
  • Scottish Training Qualification for Further Education (TQFE) 
  • PTLLS, CTLLS or DTLLS 
  • Master’s Degree in Education

You should contact one of the awarding organisations if you want to check that your qualification is eligible.

Qualifications for all assessors

Unless you are assessing cash and valuables in transit training, you must hold one of the following:

  • an assessor qualification from the list below:
    • Level 3 Award in Understanding the Principles and Practices of Assessment (RQF)
    • Level 3 Award in Assessing Competence in the Work Environment (RQF)
    • Level 3 Award in Assessing Vocationally Related Achievement (RQF)
    • A1 Assessing Learners Using a Range of Methods
    • D32 Assess Learner Performance
    • D33 Assess Learner Using Different Sources of Evidence
    • L&D 9D Assess workplace competence using direct methods
    • L&D 9DI Assess workplace competences using direct and indirect methods
    • Unit 1 Understanding the Principles and Practices of Assessment (from an assessor qualification)
  • a teaching qualification from the list below:
    • Level 3 Award in Education and Training
    • 12 credit Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector
    • Level 3 Certificate/Level 4 Diploma in Learning and Development

Internal quality assurers

Unless you are assuring cash and valuables in transit training, you must hold one of the following:

  • an assurance qualification from the list below:
    • Level 4 Award in Understanding the Internal Quality Assurance of Assessment Processes and Practices (RQF)
    • Level 4 Award in the Internal Quality Assurance of Assessment Processes and Practices (RQF)
    • Level 4 Certificate in Leading the Internal Quality Assurance of Assessment Process and Practices (RQF)
    • V1 Conduct Internal Quality Assurance of the Assessment Process
    • D34 Internally Verify the Assessment Process
    • L&D 11 Internal Quality Assurance
  • the ‘Understanding the principles and practices of internally assuring the quality of assessment’ unit from an IQA qualification

Trainers and assessors of counter-terrorism training

In addition to the qualifications for all trainers and assessors, you must have completed:

  • the ‘ACT Awareness’ e-learning course
  • the ‘ACT Security’ e-learning course

You must complete both e-learning courses every year as part of your continuous professional development.

Trainers and assessors of conflict management

In addition to the qualifications for all trainers and assessors, you must also hold a qualification at or above NQF/QCF/RQF Level 3 in the delivery of conflict management training.

Trainers and assessors of physical intervention skills for door supervision

In addition to the qualifications for all trainers and assessors, you must also hold all the following:

  • a level 3 Award for Deliverers of Physical Intervention Training in the Private Security Industry (QCF/RQF) - see Physical intervention training for door supervision trainers (ODT, 17 KB)
  • a current certificate (updated annually) from an approved level 3 programme provider that confirms your ability to deliver the skills in that approved level 2 programme

Trainers and assessors of physical intervention skills for close protection

In addition to the qualifications for all trainers and assessors, you must also hold all the following:

  • a level 3 Award for Deliverers of Physical Intervention Training for Close Protection Operatives (RQF) - see Physical intervention training for close protection trainers (ODT, 15.9 KB)
  • a current certificate from an approved level 3 programme provider for close protection physical intervention, that confirms your ability to deliver the skills in an approved level 2 programme

You must follow our published rules

We have set rules for examination venues and things such as the minimum number of training hours for each course. These are published in Get training (PDF, 806 KB, 36 pages).

You must check the learner’s first aid qualification

Door supervision and security guarding

You must confirm that each learner holds a valid first aid qualification before they take the SIA licence-linked training.

Read more about the first aid training requirement.

Close protection

You must confirm that each learner holds a valid first aid qualification before they take the SIA licence-linked training.

If you want to use virtual learning

Your awarding organisation must agree before you can offer any part of the SIA licence-linked training through virtual learning. You must also tell us before you run the course.

Get approval from your awarding organisation

Your awarding organisation will:

  • advise on which parts of the SIA licence-linked training you can deliver using virtual learning
  • check that you have all of the necessary equipment
  • explain the rules you must follow

You must give your awarding organisation:

  • evidence that you have the necessary resources to deliver virtual learning and/or remote online invigilated examinations
  • a plan that shows how you will split the time between virtual learning, face to face learning and any assessments that may be required

You should contact your awarding organisation for more details.

Tell us about it

You need to tell us if you will be using virtual learning to deliver SIA licence-linked training. To do this you should:

  1. Download our Virtual classroom submission form (ODT, 15.7 KB).
  2. Fill it in, providing all of the information we ask for.
  3. Send it to us at virtualclassroom@sia.gov.uk 5 working days before the course starts.

Updates to this page

Published 5 October 2020
Last updated 7 November 2024 + show all updates

  1. Updated to include details of refresher training.

  2. Replaced the 'Physical intervention training for door supervision trainers' document with an updated version.

  3. Replaced the 'Physical intervention training for door supervision trainers' and 'Physical intervention training for close protection trainers' documents with updated versions.

  4. Replaced the 'Physical intervention training for door supervision trainers' and 'Physical intervention training for close protection trainers' documents with updated versions. Also removed references to dates that have passed - for example "you must hold one of the following now or by 30 September 2022 at the latest".

  5. Removed NOCN from the list of awarding organisations.

  6. Updated the 'Physical intervention training for close protection trainers' document.

  7. Added new requirements for trainers wishing to offer the close protection licence-linked qualification. Replaced the 'Get Training' document with an updated version.

  8. Updated the 'Physical Intervention Training for Trainers' document (added 1 company to the list).

  9. Replaced the 'Get Training' document with an updated version.

  10. Replaced the 'Get Training' document with an updated version.

  11. Updated the 'Trainers and assessors of counter-terrorism training' section to reflect the fact that the ACT Security e-learning course is now available.

  12. Updated the 'Physical Intervention Training for Trainers' document (removed 1 company from the list).

  13. Updated the 'Physical Intervention Training for Trainers' document (amended the contact details for 1 of the companies listed).

  14. Replaced 'Introduction to Learning Leading Towards Licence-linked Qualifications' with 'Get Training'.

  15. Updated to reflect new requirements introduced on 1 April 2021.

  16. Added a new section to the page: "If you want to use virtual learning".

  17. Updated the 'Trainers of physical intervention skills' section to include the list of 'train the trainer' programmes we accept.

  18. Removed EQ Awards from the list of awarding organisations. Added Qualifications Network to the list of awarding organisations.

  19. First published.

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