The Importance of Training

Angleside UK has been providing professional security services across the UK and throughout Europe for decades. In that time, we have experienced major changes for the better, as increased licencing requirements and regulations have impacted the quality and professionalism of security services across the board.

For a security industry that at one time struggled to maintain a professional image, regulation has been a good thing. At Angleside, we have always welcomed these changes that have only served to confirm what we already knew. There is no place for poorly trained and reckless thugs in the security industry, and it is no longer a sector where just anybody struggling to get a job can be guaranteed to be accepted.


Qualities of a Top-Flight Security Guard

The modern security guard is a true multitasker. Carrying out complex duties in a wide range of environments and dealing with the public in often difficult circumstances on a daily basis. This is a role that requires high levels of honesty, dedication, and integrity. It also needs top-quality, dedicated training and support from a company like Angleside that invests in its people and encourages them to be the best that they can be. The main qualities we look for in our personnel are:

Honesty and Integrity.

If clients and the general public can’t trust a security guard, who can they trust? We always carry out rigorous background checks on applicants seeking to become members of our security team.

Through the supervision and management structure, we keep our employees under constant appraisal to make sure that the highest standards are maintained. We introduce extra support and training whenever we identify the need or when the task needs a special skill set.

Excellent Communication Skills.

Knowing how to communicate clearly and effectively, both verbally and in writing, is very important.

Most Security Guards have contact with other people every day. As representatives of our company, they need to be able to communicate politely and effectively with our clients in a range of different working environments.

Equally as important is the ability to deal with members of the public in a manner suited to the circumstances. Many situations require little more than some friendly assistance or guidance but where a situation needs to be de-escalated quickly and effectively, calm professionalism and the ability to communicate effectively often produces quicker and better results than physical intervention.

Accurately recording and reporting circumstances and keeping legible records are vital to the role of a Security Guard. Personnel must have a proven ability to communicate and keep records in writing as well as verbally

Knowledge of Modern Technology and Communications

Technology and communications have become increasingly important in the security industry. As technology and the internet have evolved over the years, so has the way companies like ours use it to deliver a much more effective, streamlined and targetted service.

Security guards in the modern world often need to employ computer skills and the latest communications technology to carry out some aspects of the work. Security personnel are often required to monitor and operate CCTV systems, use technology to liaise and coordinate with other agencies and employ surveillance and geo-location systems for monitoring and tracking.

Dedication to training and self-improvement

It is now a legal requirement for anyone working in private security to hold the right accreditation and licences to legally carry out the task they have been assigned. This means that they must hold a Security Industry Authority (SIA) licence with the correct accreditations to cover them for the task they are carrying out. We also value employees who actively seek training opportunities to increase the range of duties they can carry out as well as improve their job performance. The section below covers this in more detail.


Training for Security Guards

The main authority responsible for supervising the level of training undertaken by personnel working in the security industry is the Security Industry Authority (SIA). This is an independent organisation that reports to The Home Office and is responsible for raising and maintaining standards of training and performance within the security industry.

Training and accreditation is undertaken by a range of in-house and third-party training providers. The main module is known as the Common Unit and covers general aspects of the security industry. There are then further competency qualifications arranged in modules aimed at various security roles in the industry.

There is also a list of SIA-endorsed qualifications that are treated as valid proof of the obligatory competencies. These are then submitted to the SIA for approval and issuance of the appropriate license. Further information is available on the SIA website

First and foremost, from 1 April 2021, you must have a first aid qualification before you can take the training required for a door supervisor or security guard licence. Other licensable aspects of the security role include:

  • manned guarding,
  • security guarding,
  • door supervision,
  • close protection,
  • cash and valuables in transit,
  • public space surveillance using CCTV,
  • key holding (if direct contact with the public is also required)
  • vehicle immobilising (applies to Northern Ireland only).

SIA Licensing.

The SIA issues 2 types of license:

  1. A front-line licence is required for anyone who performs one of the licensable activities So, this includes all security guards, but also doormen or security system operators. The front-line licence is issued in the form of a plastic card (it is the size of an ID card) and should always be worn where it is visible to the public.
  2. A non-front-line licence which is required for anybody holding a management or supervisory position in the private security industry or employing individuals who perform a licensable activity. This licence is issued in the form of a letter which also covers key holding activities.

SIA Licence application process

There is no automatic approval for an SIA license. The application is submitted to the SIA, which will issue it if you meet the criteria, do the right training, and submit the right documentation. You can apply online or download and fill in an SIA application form. There is a charge for the application, which is non-refundable if the licence is not granted. The license needs to be renewed every 3 years and you can start the process 4 months before your existing licence expires

The SIA will require:

  • Proof of age. You must be over the age of 18
  • Proof of current address as well as previous addresses going back at least 5 years
  • Proof that you have passed accredited training modules for licensable activities

The SIA will then check your qualifications, your identity and carry out criminal record checks

Angleside Security Guards

Finally, at Angleside, we believe that good security guards are also flexible in terms of the tasks they can perform. We offer a wide range of services for some very different types of clients. It is important that our security officers can adjust to different workplace environments easily and with confidence.

We do not draw the line at obligatory training for SIA accreditation. We provide ongoing training to make sure that our staff can perform equally well in whatever role they are assigned. We understand that customer satisfaction and our relationship with our clients depend upon the performance of our security teams out there representing us.

If you need a responsible and reliable security company with teams of well-trained officers that have the skills you need to keep you and your property safe, please get in touch with us using the contact details on this site or simply fill out the online enquiry form, and we will get straight back to you. An initial discussion costs nothing and is without obligation.