Portsmouth security firm Vespasian offers free training to encourage people to become door supervisors

Southsea-based Vespasian Security has launched a fully funded SIA (Security Industry Authority) Door Supervision training and licensing scheme, providing a gateway into the notoriously competitive security industry.

The company is offering the course and licensing package, usually costing over £500, free of charge to 12 selected applicants.

Since the pandemic began, Vespasian has branched into multiple new industries, with the demand for security services soaring within health care, retail complexes, offices, vacant properties, hotels and live events.

Oliver Gardiner, managing director, assessed current feedback and decided to pioneer a scheme to encourage people into the business by slashing the initial training costs.

He said: ‘Vespasian has a strong history of investing in its teams, the equipment they use and the level of support that we give them.

‘For decades, the initial part of their training and the process of team members gaining their Security Industry Authority licence with the Home Office, has been left to personal drive and investment.

‘Times have changed, and we see many new recruits struggling to fund the initial investment required to step up into licensed security roles. As a result, I’ve decided that Vespasian is going to support new recruits earlier in the process than ever before’.

The company recently funded an apprentice to complete a Level 3 First Aid and SIA qualification at their sister company, Broadside Training.

Ruby Thompson is studying a Level 3 Apprenticeship in Junior Content Producing at HSDC.

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She said: ‘I feel so lucky to have landed a position at a business that genuinely wants me to succeed in both the media and security industries, I didn’t expect to be trained as a Door Supervisor when I started, but after working at live events and festivals, it’s something I’m grateful for. It taught me the skills I used behind the scenes.’

Vespasian has just completed its first cohort of recruits, with a new scheme due to start in January.

Oliver said: ‘We hope this will be a long running scheme.

‘Our target is for the scheme to grow in future months and years, seeing Vespasian welcome hundreds of new recruits to our NHS sites, local authority deployments, late night venues, festivals, events and retail spaces throughout Portsmouth and beyond.’