The 2008 skills for security conferences in Oxford and Belfast are running under the banner ‘Time To Change Gear’, with the speakers encouraged to be both controversial and challenging. In a major departure from recent years, the afternoon of the Oxford Conference (at the Williams F1 Conference Centre on 4 November) will be devoted to a live debate between leading industry figureheads and major end users. That debate focuses on the issues raised in the ongoing Make The Change Campaign devised by Security Management Today (SMT) and Infologue.com
Following what is destined to be a robust and lively exchange of views, the audience will then be invited to question the panel members and offer their own opinions.
Some of the high profile personalities that will be contributing to one or more of the Skills Conferences are Baroness Ruth Henig (chairman of the Security Industry Authority), Perpetuity Research and Consultancy International director Professor Martin Gill, Mike Wilson (the Regulator’s chief executive), VSG chairman Bill Muskin, Stuart Lowden of Wilson James, Linda Holbeche (of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development) and SMT’s Editor Brian Sims.
Both Skills Conferences are supported by City and Guilds with SMT acting as Official Media Partner, the Belfast event taking place at the La Mon Hotel on 11 November.
Commenting on the events, Brian Sims said: “At last year’s Skills Conference at the Kassam Stadium, there was an excellent presentation by City and Guilds’ Dick Winterton in which he outlined a major issue for this country – the nation’s demographics over the next decade. It was required listening for every guarding company md or CEO, and major end users, and yet only three or four of the Top 20 contractors were represented. To be blunt, that isn’t good enough and doesn’t reflect well on a sector that continually stresses how much it wants to change. That change isn’t going to happen by magic just because the Regulator has appeared on the scene. The Regulator is an enabler. Genuine, sustainable change is going to take effort and dedication, and much of it, on the part of buyers and suppliers alike.”
Sims concluded: “The time for hiding below the parapet and talking about these issues in isolation behind closed doors is over.”
Speaking to SMT about the forthcoming Skills Conferences, the organisation’s chief executive David Greer (pictured) opined: “These are going to be worthwhile and thought-provoking events. I would urge people to come along, listen, learn and have their say on these important issues.”
The skills and standards setting body for the security sector is offering a discount for early booking. An ‘Early Bird’ discount offer is available until 29 August, during which savings of GB pound 20 per delegate can be made.
Bookings may be made directly via the Skills for Security web site (to be found at: www.skillsforsecurity.org.uk ).
Skills is also in the process of accepting submissions for its annual awards in recognition of those who have contributed much to the development of skills and training in the security sector. Again, further information can be found on the Skills for Security web site.