IPSA Membership: an enhanced service for Trainers & Training Companies

The International Professional Security Association (IPSA) is launching a dedicated section for individuals and companies involved in training. The launch will take place today, Friday 8 th May, at the Edexcel BTEC Security Training Forum in London.

Training is a unique part of the security industry which provides and enhances skills and knowledge, although until now it has been an area without an independent voice.

The Association has for some time had a separate fee structure for training companies, but it has not provided targeted support for the sector. Now it is intended to add both focus and support, particularly for the numerous individuals working as trainers, whether self employed or within organisations. To this end a new category of IPSA individual membership of ‘Trainer’ is being introduced, to help identify and differentiate the individuals working in the sector.

It will then be possible to distribute information on training related matters by e-mail specifically to those individual and company members working in the sector.

In addition, regular events will be arranged for trainers to get together, share best practice and also raise issues and concerns which IPSA, as a representative body, will be able to ensure are addressed in the appropriate quarter. A Trainers’ Committee will be put in place to assess demand and, where appropriate, arrange these meetings.

IPSA has always had “promoting professionalism” as a key aim of the Association. We now intend to take this a significant step further by directly involving those professionals who bring skills and knowledge to the whole industry.

Sallyann Baldry, National Business Development Manager at Edexcel, commented “We welcome the introduction of a category of membership for individual trainers, IPSA already provides professional association membership to many existing Edexcel approved training centres, but this will additionally provide for independent trainers to join an association that justifiably prides itself on the services it provides to trainers, in terms of professional development and networking opportunities.”

Membership for Trainers: Individuals and Companies

Among the several categories of IPSA membership are those for Trainers whether employed, self-employed or operating as training companies. Individual Membership as a Trainer Member (TM) or company membership as a Training Company (TC) entitles the member to the full range of IPSA membership benefits.

Companies and individuals are expected to comply with the IPSA Codes of Ethics and Conduct. [Self-employed trainers may find it advantageous to be individual members and join the IPSA Corps of Trainers - see below].

Training Companies:

We do not require the company to be inspected or assessed for compliance with industry or training standards unless it seeks to be endorsed by IPSA as a training body. Any such inspection may be carried out by an IPSA assessor or, alternatively, by another approved inspection body whose certificates are acceptable in lieu of IPSA inspection (e.g. the approval of an Awarding Body).

Training companies admitted to the Company Membership scheme have use of the IPSA logo with the appropriate legend to be displayed as they require. Certificates are issued according to status.

The current UK fees for training companies are:

Initial joining fee £100.00 (plus VAT)

plus Annual membership fee £273.48 (plus VAT) where gross turnover is less than £500k per annum

or

£641.17 (plus VAT) where gross turnover is over £500k per annum

Inspection fees (where required or requested) are £546.96 (plus VAT) plus incidental expenses.

The advantages and benefits of Training Company Membership are:

• Membership of one of the longest established professional bodies in the industry (founded in 1958) +
• Representation to Government, the SIA and other agencies on security and employment issues both directly and through our membership of the Joint Security Industry Council (JSIC) +
• Regular email updates on changes in the law and procedures +
• Listing in the Company Members section of the IPSA web site and in the JSIC/IPSA Security Industry Directory - copies supplied free to all members
• Access at preferential rates to British Standards and other publications, as well as IPSA products, e.g. notebooks, manuals, seminars and conferences +
• Preferential rates for insurance cover from our insurance brokers, Camberford Law plc, and medical cover through Hospital and Medical Care Association (HMCA)
• Access to First Assist 24 hour legal advisory service on business and non business legal issues
• Inspections and consultancy advice on request +
• Membership certificate for display and use of the IPSA logo on vehicles, stationery, web site etc.
• Reciprocal links between your own and the IPSA web sites
• Access to the IPSA-SRM Ltd BS7858:2006 certificated staff screening service: see www.staffvetting.com +
• Access to tax advisory services +
• ID Card bureau service
• Networking opportunities with other members +
• Access to invoice financing and banking services at preferential rates
• Membership on favourable terms of Royal Overseas League Clubs +

Promotion of Training Courses:

Training Companies are encouraged to post on the IPSA web site details of the training programmes they deliver and as part of the reciprocal arrangements to grant preferential rates to IPSA members and member companies.

Where training is provided to a client who has been introduced or referred by IPSA it is expected that an agreed commission will be paid to the Association from the fees charged. Similarly where training is provided expressly on behalf of IPSA the fees charged will be determined by IPSA and the training provider remunerated in accordance with the terms agreed for that service.

By joining the IPSA family of companies, commercial training bodies can enhance their profile and show that they are conforming to industry standards, which may thereby generate more business. Even if registered with an Approved Awarding Body as a Training and Testing Centre or under the SIA Approved Contractor Scheme, the additional benefits of IPSA membership include being able to differentiate one company from others that may have no other affiliations and this has been shown to be beneficial.

Individual Trainer Membership:

Membership is open to all individuals engaged in training for the extended security industry at all levels. Members are expected to comply with the IPSA Code of Ethics and Conduct. There is an initial joining fee of £25.00 (incl. VAT) and the annual membership fee is currently £125.90 (incl. VAT).

The advantages and benefits in addition to those marked + above in respect of companies are:

• Personal membership card
• Personal diary provided each year
• Listing in the Individual Members section of the JSIC/IPSA Security Industry Directory – copies supplied free to all members
• Participation in trainers’ conferences, seminars and briefings including the Edexcel BTEC Training Forum

Corps of Trainers:

Qualified Trainers may also apply to join, at no extra cost, the IPSA Corps of Trainers on production of evidence of current training qualifications and training experience as well as Continuing Professional Development. Such qualified trainers may be invited to train on behalf of IPSA or to undertake training assignments for other clients on terms to be agreed between the parties. IPSA will also refer potential clients and students to individual trainers where appropriate.

Approval and Accreditation of Courses:

There are a number of training courses that are outside the formal qualifications framework required for security industry licensing or are modules of additional qualifications not covered by these arrangements for accreditation. The IPSA Training Committee considers and recommends courses for endorsement by IPSA so that certificates certifying satisfactory completion of the training may carry the IPSA endorsement signed on behalf of IPSA and the training provider and may be publicised accordingly.

Employer Sponsored Membership (ESM) scheme:

The International Professional Security Association encourages individual membership for all persons employed in the security and associated industries. We have decided that where a number of potential members are employed by the same company, we should invite companies to engage in an employer sponsored membership scheme for their employees. By working with the employer to reduce the administrative procedures the Association can offer a bulk membership scheme at significantly reduced rates.

This scheme can also be taken up by training companies that wish to bring all their trainers into IPSA membership. Employers are required to pay the subscriptions on behalf of the participating employees and may at their discretion decide either to recover the subscriptions from the staff concerned or regard the membership as an employee benefit or reward.

The concessionary subscription rates depend on the number of staff in a scheme. There are two tiers:

5+ employees 25% discount on current membership rates for each category

50+ employees 50% discount on current membership rates for each category

There is NO joining fee for the individuals. There is an initial (one-off) administration fee payable by the company of £100 + VAT, which will be waived for IPSA member companies.

All employer sponsored members will receive the full range of rights and benefits enjoyed by ordinary individual members.

Companies are able to advertise that they take part in the IPSA Employer Sponsored Membership scheme and use the IPSA logo and ESM legend alongside any mention of the scheme.

Next step

If you would like further information in any of these features, please contact either of the under-mentioned persons at the relevant IPSA office:

Patrick Somerville (Chairman) London 020 8832 7417

Justin Bentley (CEO) Chorley 0845 873 8114