A Professional Security Operative (PSO) Level 2 Apprenticeship has had funding approved by the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA). The contractor Mitie has confirmed its first cohort of 30 learners are ready to join that programme, and the FM firm says it has ambitions to welcome more in the near future.
Once the apprenticeship programme was approved for delivery by the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE) in May, Mitie says it has seen a high demand from colleagues looking to develop a long-term career in the security industry. The contract firm says it has a specific focus on bringing on under-represented groups in the sector, including women. The programme is designed to cater to those with a wide range of career backgrounds. Mitie has encouraged applications from any colleagues who may be interested in building a new career within the security industry. This includes aspiring those who do not hold formal qualifications, as well as those who are new to the industry, such as Mitie people in other parts of the business.
The Security Skills Board was launched at an event in June, as featured in the July print edition of Professional Security Magazine. Jason Towse, Managing Director, Business Services at Mitie, pictured, serves as chair of the Board. A working group was launched in April 2021 with the regulator of security officers, the Security Industry Authority (SIA), after a conference in London on the eve of the first covid lockdown in March 2020.
Jason Towse said: “As the UK’s leading security provider, we are proud to have been involved in the development of the first Level 2 apprenticeship standard for the security industry. We believe every colleague should have the opportunity to progress from the frontline to the boardroom and the launch of this new qualification is just the start in helping more people realise their career aspirations.”
About the ESPA
The ESFA is an executive agency, sponsored by the Department for Education.
