Description
Level 2 Award for Security Officers in the Private Security Industry (Refresher) (QCF)
From 1 April 2025, you must have a ‘refresher’ qualification before you can renew your door supervisor or security guard licence. The refresher training has been available from 1 October 2024.
You must have an up-to-date Emergency First Aid at Work qualification, or equivalent, before you can take the refresher training.
You will need to show this to us, the training provider, when you register for the course. If you hold a door supervisor licence you can choose one of the following options:
- Take the door supervisor refresher training and renew your door supervisor licence
- Take the security guard refresher training and switch to a security guard licence. In either case, you must have an Emergency First Aid at Work qualification, or equivalent, before you can take the refresher training.
What do we mean by “equivalent”?
We accept other qualifications that comply with the relevant guidance from the Health and Safety Executive. Some examples are:
- Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW)
- First Aid at Work (FAW)
- First Person on Scene (FPOS)
- First Response Emergency Care (FREC)
Why is the SIA making these changes?
The SIA need to make sure that people working in the private security industry can:
- Keep the public safe
- Follow new working practices
- Understand recent changes to the law
- Make the best use of new technology
Qualification overview and objective
The objective of this qualification is to support a role in the workplace. It is designed for learners who currently hold a licence from the Security Industry Authority (SIA) to work as a door supervisor and need to be brought up to date with the new licence-linked qualifications requirements.
Topics include:
- Know how to conduct effective search procedures.
- Understand how to keep vulnerable people safe.
- Understand terror threats and the role of the security operative in the event of a threat
How long will it take?
To complete and gain this qualification, and to renew a license, learners are expected to undertake approximately 9 hours of learning. The SIA have stated that the training, delivery, and assessment of this qualification must take place over a minimum of 0.5 days (3 hours if self-study is used, or 7 hours if self-study is not used).
Entry requirements
To register for this qualification, learners must be aged 16-17, but an SIA licence cannot be applied for until the age of 18. Learners will need to show that they hold a current and valid First Aid or Emergency First Aid certificate that meets the requirements of the
Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981. It is an SIA requirement that training centres must confirm that each learner is sufficiently qualified in First Aid or Emergency First Aid.
Learners should present their First Aid or Emergency First Aid certificate before they start training. This certificate must be valid for at least 12 months from the course starts date.
Structure of Course
The SIA and Awarding Bodies have “recognised that there is some learning that contributes to the achievement of the licence-linked qualifications that can be delivered by self-study/distance learning”. As such:
- Learning Outcome 1 (LO1) of the Principles of Working as a Security Officer in the Private Security Industry unit – Know how to conduct effective search procedures – of the course will be delivered using self-study. Workbooks that the learner must work through and complete are emailed to candidates prior to starting the course. The materials used clearly show learners, how many hours (30 minutes) of learning they are expected to undertake and are given sufficient time to allow them to complete it before their course begins. On completion, Learners are expected to email their completed workbook back to the centre prior to starting the course. It is also a requirement that the centre checks these during training to ensure appropriate learning has occurred. This will be quality assured through Highfield’s external quality assurance processes. The learners should ask the tutor/trainer any related questions as deemed fit each day and for the duration of the course.
- Learning Outcome 2 (LO2) of the Principles of Working as a Security Officer in the Private Security Industry unit – Understand how to keep vulnerable people safe – of the course will be delivered using self-study. Workbooks that the learner must work through and complete are emailed to candidates prior to starting the course. The materials used clearly show learners, how many hours (1 hour and 50 minutes) of learning they are expected to undertake and are given sufficient time to allow them to complete it before their course begins. On completion, Learners are expected to email their completed workbook back to the
centre prior to starting the course. It is also a requirement that the centre checks these during training to ensure appropriate learning has occurred. This will be quality assured through Highfield’s external quality assurance processes. The learners should ask the tutor/trainer any related questions as deemed fit each day and for the duration of the course. - Learning Outcome 3 (LO3) of the Principles of Working as a Security Officer in the Private Security Industry unit – Understand terror threats and the role of the security operative in the event of a threat of the course will be delivered using self-study (authorised ACT E-learning). Link to access (https://ct.highfieldelearning.com/) and contents for this unit are emailed to candidates prior to starting the course. The materials used clearly show learners, how many hours (1 hour and 40 minutes) of learning they are expected to undertake and are given sufficient time to allow them to complete it before their course begins. On completion, Learners are expected to email their ACT E learning certificate to the centre prior to starting the course. It is also a
requirement that the centre checks these during training to ensure appropriate learning has occurred. This will be quality assured through Highfield’s external quality assurance processes. The learners should ask the tutor/trainer any related questions as deemed fit each day and for the duration of the course. To complete the Level 2 Award for Security Officers in the Private Security Industry (Refresher), learners must complete all learning outcomes contained within the mandatory unit.
Language prerequisite
Security operatives will likely in the course of their work be required to make calls to the emergency services, or, for example communicate to resolve conflict. It is essential that security operatives can communicate effectively. However, it is advised that learners have a minimum of Level 1 in literacy or numeracy or equivalent. Learners will be required to undertake an initial literacy assessment prior to enrolment and assessment examinations during and at the end of the course. These examinations must be taken to complete your course work requirement.
Please note that there is no car parking space available on site but, should you decide to come in your vehicle, metered car parking spaces are available on surrounding Roads. The best option is by public transport.
No disabled facilities.
Progression opportunities
Progression and further learning routes could include:
-
- Level 2 Award for Door Supervisors in the Private Security Industry
- Level 2 Award for CCTV Operators (Public Space Surveillance) in the Private Security Industry
- Level 3 Certificate for Working as a Close Protection Operative within the Private Security Industry
- Level 3 Award in the Delivery of Conflict Management Training (RQF)
- Level 3 Award for Physical Intervention Trainers in the Private Security Industry
