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SIA Training testimonial from a jobseeker
Like lots of people I was made redundant recently, it was a real shock, especially because it was so unexpected. I thought I was in a secure job for life. I averaged about thirty job applications a day, but despite the fact I’ve got excellent references and good computer skills, job hunting just became really depressing.
My Job Centre Plus Advisor told me about SIA training. I did a bit of research and found get – licensed .co.uk. I had no idea the security training options were so in-depth. I admit, I thought you just put on a uniform with a security badge and that was it.
What surprised me most was the number of job vacancies available and the salaries are really attractive too, more than I’d earned in my previous job in fact. Because I’d spent most of my working life in front of a computer screen, the CCTV operative course looked like the best option for me.
I managed to find an SIA training centre that was really convenient for me to get to and within a couple of weeks I was being trained. Get – licensed were brilliant, they even helped me make sure I filled out the application form for my SIA Licence correctly.
The course was split up into nine modules. All the elements are set out clearly, and you’re made aware of what the expected outcomes are right from the start of each section. You learn all kinds of things I’d no idea had anything to do with the job.
We started off with Procedures and Guidelines. This part was really interesting because there are legal requirements involved with the job. After we’d got to grips with the Codes of Practice we moved on to using the equipment, it was a lot more interesting than the spreadsheets I’d been used to pouring over all day.
One of the main aspects of a CCTV operator’s job, apart from being alert and having a good attention span, is communication. It’s not as isolated as you might think, and you need to be able to make valued judgements if the other members of your security team need to be alerted. I’d been a fire officer and first aider in my previous job, so taking in all the emergency procedures and health and safety aspects of the course was easy, in fact I was able to contribute to the class.
It had been a while since I’d sat an exam, so I was a bit nervous, but that just added to my determination to pass. There were two multiple choice exams and a practical, then within two weeks I got the news I’d passed! I was over the moon. As soon as I got my results I could apply for my SIA Licence and then start looking for a new job.
Unlike before, when I’d just been made redundant, I was able to narrow down my job searches to a particular industry sector. You have to start somewhere, so I signed up with an agency. I soon got my first assignment, covering for an operator who was on maternity leave.
Adjusting to the shifts was a bit strange at first but you soon get accustomed to it. To be honest it feels like you have more time on your hands, especially when you get days off when everyone else is hard at work.
I’ve got a full time job now, working with a great team of people, and I really look forward to going to work. What I do for a living these days feels really worthwhile. SIA training was the best thing I ever did.
