Starting 1st October 2024, new “refresher” qualifications will be available for door supervisors and security guards. These updated courses focus on essential safety skills and equip professionals with the latest knowledge on handling spiking incidents and terror threats. The Security Industry Authority (SIA) urges all affected license holders to prioritize this training.

This update follows earlier changes introduced in April 2021, which raised the standards for license-linked qualifications. Accredited “top-up” training was also introduced in October 2021 as a requirement for license renewals.

By October 2024, all current door supervisor and security guard license holders should have completed the top-up training. The new refresher courses will further ensure that these professionals maintain their skills in critical safety areas and stay informed about emerging threats.

Tony Holyland, Head of Individual Standards for the SIA, emphasizes the importance of this update:

“Security professionals play a vital role in keeping our communities safe. As public safety challenges evolve, so do the expectations of security personnel. We recognize that skills can fade over time, and this new requirement guarantees that operatives maintain up-to-date and refreshed skills.”

Refresher training highlights include:

• For door supervisors: conducting searches, physical intervention, protecting vulnerable people (including spiking), terror threat awareness
• For security guards: conducting searches, protecting vulnerable people (including spiking), terror threat awareness

Door supervisors with a license have the option to either take the door supervisor refresher training and renew their license, or switch to a security guard license by taking the security guard refresher training.

Key Dates:

• New refresher training available from October 2024
• Mandatory for license renewals after April 1, 2025

This six-month transition period allows industry, training providers, and individuals ample time to prepare for the new requirements.

Further updates will be released in the coming weeks.