Tees Business Tees Business Issue 10 | Page 17

Serving the Teesside Business Community | 17 The Vistech Services Training Academy is believed to be unique in the Tees region. SAFE AND SECURE Vistech Services launches training academy for security industry T eesside-based security and facilities management company Vistech Services has launched a specialist training academy to teach all aspects of security including the growing industry of CCTV operation. From its base in Middlesbrough’s Boho Six building, the Vistech Services Training Academy is believed to be the first in the Tees region to provide door supervisor, security guard and CCTV operator training all from one approved training centre. And there are plans to expand the security training courses to Newcastle, Hull, Leeds and Bradford by the start of 2018. Specialists in manned guarding and security systems across a range of sectors, Vistech Services protect property worth eight figures for a series of blue chip clients across the north of England. The training academy is running courses every month that result in recognised industry qualifications covering security guarding, door supervision and the operation of closed circuit televisions. The courses are proving popular with members of the firm’s 125 staff who are keen to upskill, but trainees have also included new job applicants at Vistech Services and job-seekers referred to the academy by Job Centre Plus. Vistech Services head of training John Welsh said: “We’re delighted with the popularity of our initial courses and plan to work with our partner agencies to expand the training academy across the North East and North Yorkshire in the months ahead. “As a fast-expanding company with a growing workforce, we are keen to invest in our staff, giving them opportunities to expand their skillset, whilst creating opportunities for potential new recruits to get an introduction to the industry. “We’re a business so we naturally want to make a profit but we’re absolutely committed to investing in our people, rather than treating them as commodities. The training academy’s courses are already having the effect of making our company and staff more flexible and competitive. Our employees are proud to work for Vistech Services. “We invest time, effort and resources into recruitment and HR, so we thought ‘Why go elsewhere for out staff training when we Specialists in security and facilities management for the business and residential sectors Security Guards Key Holding & Alarm Response Mobile Patrols Construction Site Security CCTV Systems Corporate Security have the skills to do it here?’” Vistech Services have invested over £10,000 altogether in the training academy including high-quality equipment featuring a pan-tilt-zoom camera (PTZ) to allow participants to train on a live system - a crucial aspect of gaining a CCTV operator license. “CCTV is fast-growing area of the industry,” explained Welsh. “With many hospital staff now wearing bodycams, in essence that is now a public space surveillance camera, so they need to be trained as a CCTV operator. Equally, the general growth in the use of CCTV means that all security staff are going to need to get their operator license. “As the only training operator on Teesside offering CCTV operator training, we’ve cornered a key area of the market. There is an obvious skills gap and we’re taking positive action to fill that ourselves.” Those interested in taking a course with the Vistech Services Training Academy should contact them via email on [email protected] or call 08006123280 T: 0800 6123 280 (24hr) E: [email protected] W: vistechservices.co.uk SIA Approved Contractor and ISO 9001 & 14001 registered company