For information relating to the new Refresher Qualifications for Door Supervision & Security Officers see below.
1. What are the new qualifications that are being launched by the Security Industry Authority (SIA) in October 2024?
New ‘refresher’ qualifications have been developed by the SIA and the security sector awarding organisation forum.
2. In which areas will these qualifications be available?
There are 2 new refresher qualifications that will be launched:
- 1 for security officers and
- 1 for door supervisors.
No CCTV refresher has been developed.
3. When will the new refresher qualifications be available?
The new refresher training will be available from 1 October 2024 and will reinforce the skills door supervisors and security guards use to keep the public safe.
4. What is happening to the current door supervisor and security officer top up qualifications?
The new refresher qualifications will eventually take the place of the current top up qualifications for door supervision and security officers.
The current top ups will be withdrawn as a qualification from 30 November 2024. The final certification date for the top ups will be 28 February 2025.
This means that learners can still undertake top up resit assessments until 28 February 2025.
5. When will the Qualification Specifications be available?
The Highfield Qualification Specifications are being finalised and are due to be completed by 20 September 2024.
6. Will emergency first aid at work (EFAW) training be required before undertaking refresher training?
All learners must have an up-to-date emergency first aid at work qualification, or an equivalent, before they can take the refresher training.
They will need to show this to their training provider when they register for the course, and the training provider will be required to keep a copy.
7. How long will the new refresher qualifications take to complete?
The security officer refresher course will take place over a minimum of 1 full day*, including EFAW training and assessment.
The door supervisor refresher will take place over a minimum of 2 contact days*, including EFAW training and assessment.
This mirrors the current duration for top up training courses in the respective qualifications.
*To meet the total contact time, learners will also have to complete pre-course self-study if they only attend the classroom-based sessions for the minimum contact time.
This self-study will have to be supported and assessed by the training provider.
8. What content will be included in the new refresher qualifications?
Alongside the requirement to present an up-to-date emergency first aid certificate, the following will be covered in the refresher training.
For door supervisors:
- conducting searches
- physical intervention
- protecting people in vulnerable situations, including content on spiking
- terror threat awareness – action counters terrorism (ACT)/you can ACT certificate
For security guards:
- conducting searches
- protecting people in vulnerable situations, including content on spiking
- terror threat awareness – action counters terrorism (ACT)/you can ACT certificate
9. Will there be an alternative Scottish version of the refresher qualifications?
Yes. There will be 2 different versions:
- 1 for the Scottish accredited refresher qualifications;
- and the other will cover England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
10. What qualification will a licence holder need to take if their licence has recently expired, and they wish to re-enter the sector and re-apply for a new SIA licence?
Any door supervisor or security officer SIA licence holder who achieved their qualification prior to April 2021 (and, therefore, holds the ‘old’ versions of these qualifications) will still have to complete top up training when re-applying for their licence.
Between 1 October 2024 and 30 November 2024, both the existing top ups and the new refresher qualifications will be available, with the new refresher qualifications being launched on 1 October 2024. Any licence holder applying to relicense between these dates, and who holds the old version of their qualification, will still have to do the top up qualification. They do not have the option to choose between the top up and the refresher, the premise being that learners cannot refresh content that they did not cover in their original qualification.
On 30 November 2024, the top up qualifications will be formally withdrawn. Any licence holder applying to relicense from 1 December 2024, and who holds the old version of the qualification,
will have to complete the full version of the qualification. The new refresher is simply not an option for any learners’ holding the old door supervisor or security officer qualifications.
11. Can learners claim any unit exemptions for previous units and qualifications that they have successfully completed?
There are no accreditation of prior learning (APL) opportunities that will allow for unit or credit exemptions leading to certification of the refresher qualifications.
Therefore, all units linked to this qualification must be completed in full for a learner to be awarded their certificate.
12. Will learners attending a refresher course have to undertake initial assessments before being enrolled onto the course?
Yes. The Training Centre must ensure that every learner is sufficiently competent in the use of the English and/or Welsh language.
13. Can learners complete their refresher multiple-choice question (MCQ) assessments electronically?
Yes. Paper-based and e-assessment formats will be available for the multiple-choice question assessments.
Hawkhill Training Services uses the Highfield E-Assessment Method, learners are welcome to bring their own device (Tablet, iPad or Laptop) to their training for note taking and assessment purposes.