Edition 42, March 2007

VETAB NSW and NSW Police SIR: partners in quality regulation

The relationship between the Vocational Education and Training Accreditation Board NSW (VETAB) and the NSW Police Security Industry Registry (SIR) has been ratified by the VETA board.

The Guideline endorsed by VETAB on 16 October 2006 enables VETAB to manage the approval and suspension of security qualifications in association with the SIR. This formal endorsement of the relationship will ensure that the two parties continue to work closely together to monitor security industry training in New South Wales. The Guideline will commence when the Security Industry Regulation 2006 takes effect.

This relationship has been developing over recent years in response to a need to ensure and maintain the quality of training in the security industry in New South Wales. The security industry has experienced significant growth over recent years, accelerated by the demands of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.

In 2003, VETAB undertook a strategic evaluation of training in the security industry in New South Wales following concerns raised by SIR about the quality of training being delivered by some registered training organisations. The evaluation identified a number of issues in the security industry and proposed seventeen recommendations with the goals of:

  • strengthening the regulation of delivery of security training
  • reinforcing the relationship between training and licensing requirements

The recommendations, designed to ensure quality training outcomes, were achieved in line with industry requirements.

In September 2004, VETAB and SIR established a high level Security Industry Taskforce to monitor the implementation of the recommendations.

The major recommendations implemented by the taskforce included:

  • the development of a pre-licensing course
  • a follow up audit of a sample of registered training organisationss
  • workshops to inform registered training organisations of new arrangements

New licensing arrangements require new entrants to the security industry to undertake the new pre-licensing course prior to working in the security industry. Students completing this course are granted a provisional licence and must be assessed as competent within the first year to be eligible to apply for a full licence.

Both VETAB and SIR are working towards the same objective of strengthening the quality of security industry operatives through training and licensing requirements. Ongoing collaboration between VETAB and SIR will result in a more effective and efficient administration of the security industry and an increase in community confidence through increased competency, integrity and accountability.

For more information visit www.police.nsw.gov.au/sir

 

Related articles:
NSW security industry training upgrade information (Edition 65, March 2009)

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