Security update - March 2022

Security licence-linked registrations and SIA licence applications

As you know, we send learner achievement data for all Security licence linked qualifications to the SIA.  The SIA then match this up to individuals’ licence applications on the SIA portal to confirm that individuals hold the required licence linked qualification.  

Please note that it can take up to 15 working days for qualification achievement data to be reconciled on the SIA portal and for licence applications to progress.  Please advise learners not to contact the SIA within 15 working days of completing their qualification, as the SIA are unlikely to be able to resolve any queries before then.

We would also be grateful if you can reiterate to learners that it is essential that the details they provide for their qualification registration are identical to those they use for their SIA licence application.  As above, the SIA reconcile learner data with licence application data, and if the details are not identical, the licence application will not be processed.  The SIA are reporting that an increasing number of applications cannot be processed because the data does not match.  Common errors include:

• Names not matching e.g. 
  • First name and Given name are mixed up/transposed in one system 
  • Shortened version of First name is used in one system and the full version in the other e.g. Andy and Andrew
• Individuals enter their date of birth incorrectly in one system

If the learner does have cause to contact the SIA to query their application, please ask the learner to get the SIA to confirm the first name, given name and date of birth on the application.  This can then be used to reconcile with the information provided for their qualification registration.  If a change needs to be made to their registration data, please contact Customer Services to request the change. 

Close Protection

The new Close Protection qualification will be available for registration from 1 April 2022.  All tests will be available from mid-April.  Please see the Working as a Close Protection Operative within the Private Security Industry (L3) webpage for more information on the new qualification, including structure, assessment strategy and tutor requirements.  Please note that as the new qualification includes two physical intervention units, tutors delivering these units will need to be suitably qualified and licenced.