What is the SIA?

The Private Security Industry Act 2001 saw the creation of the Security Industry Authority (SIA). This is the governing body which regulates the whole of the Security Industry. It is now illegal to work in the industry without having attended a recognized training course and obtained the necessary license for the sector in which you work ( i.e. Security Guard, Door Supervisor, Close Protection etc).

It is now a requirement to hold an SIA license in order to function in any capacity in any of the sectors within the Private Security Industry. The trainers of The Abacus Training Group are fully qualified both through experience and academically. Our trainers have a background of Private sector , Military, Police, Medical and Special Tactical Units experience behind them. The experience that our trainers have is reflected in the training received by our clients. Once you leave the course you will be fully prepared to deal with the job at hand.

All the trainers have the most up to date qualifications available and we are constantly updating and evaluating our skills in order to keep our standards high and ensure that the client is receiving the most up to date training and skills available in the market today.

Employment Opportunities

Having been in the industry for nearly one and a half decades and teaching for the last 3 of those years we have delivered training to approx 5000 students all of which either have been or still are working in the industry to date. As a company we enjoy a close relationship with a number of reputable companies which act as suppliers of security operatives throughout London, Birmingham, Sheffield, The South Coast and Manchester. These close relationships give us the ability to connect operatives with companies that offer job vacancies to a large number of persons from a variety of areas and backgrounds. We will always Endeavour to find employment for all of our students.

Applying For Your License

You will need to order your application from the SIA and follow the instructions supplied with the form. This can often be a somewhat complicated task and due to the complicated process of ordering the application and completing the form, we do also provide an extra service which assists in the process from start to finish. Please enquire about this when you contact us.

Want to start working before everyone else?

Under normal circumstances nobody can work before they obtain their license, though there are exceptions to the rule. There are a handful of companies throughout the country which have what is known as ACS Status. This is the ‘Approved Contractor Scheme’ which allows persons to work under a temporary license number once they have obtained the letter stating that their application is being processed.

We have access as a Leading Training Provider to those key companies throughout the country and are in a position to offer those which have trained with us the same access. This means that they can be working within as little as four weeks as opposed to the possible three to four months.