Measuring Training Effectiveness for our Security Deployment: Part One

written by Mrs. Marisa Gana Amir
The Background

One of the challenges we as managers face when deploying our security measures is the lack of our ability to assess the effectiveness of our security deployment’s training. The following is the first of two posts dealing with this major challenge.

Organizations must respond to an array of threats by deploying a competent and professional security force to protect its assets. They must ensure that proper, effective and cost efficient training is conducted to prepare those personnel to face a wide range of challenges. Too often training is insufficient or none existent in the private sector because many companies believe it to be too costly. There are usually no quality control programs and no attempt is made to evaluate training effectiveness.

Generally, security deployments are based on three main parameters: people, processes and technology. The manpower we use to implement the security process is important to the success of our deployment. The security doctrine and SOPs entail a variety of duties that security officers have to execute such as patrolling, x-ray screening and access control at entrances to the entities, taking all relevant risks (terror and criminal) into consideration.

Once we have recruited the right personnel, instilling the SOPs and the doctrine has to be carried out in the most cost effective manner available. . The method of training is determined by the complexity of the officers’ duties, the level of the officers and the availability of resources. One of the most important actions in training these officers is that the training be standardized and that all officers performing the same job receive the same training.

And yet, how do we measure training effectiveness?

The best known evaluation methodology for measuring the effectiveness of training programs was published in the late 50’s by Donald Kirkpatrick.The structure of the model has 4 levels, each level is equally important:

  • Level 1 – reaction: how did the participants react to the training?
  • Level 2- learning: at the workplace- what did the participant learn as a result of the training?
  • Level 3- behavior: did the participant change his behavior as a result of the training?
  • Level 4- result: business results- what is the effect on the company\ organization?

Summary

Problems in training become obvious for the first time when a security incident occurs and the employee responds incorrectly. Therefore building a good, effective training program into the regular schedule of the security operation will not only reduce the risk of an incident occurring and minimize the effect of incidents when they occur, but will also, reduce the costs and liability to the organization. The next post will go into further detail into each level describing the security consequences.

By Mrs. Marisa Gana Amir – senior project manager – Lotan Security

Mrs. Gana Amir served as the manager for Ben Gurion Airport’s (Tel-Aviv) security screening unit.  As the unit manager, Mrs. Gana was responsible for developing, recruiting, personnel quality assessment and training the security screening staff of Ben Gurion airport. Mrs. Gana Amir also served as a senior instructor, in charge of training security personnel starting from junior positions, to mid and senior security supervisors.

 

 

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18 Responses to Measuring Training Effectiveness for our Security Deployment: Part One

  1. Buster says:

    Thx for spending some time to describe the terminlogy towards the novices!

  2. Martina says:

    Thx for spending some time to describe the terminlogy towards the learners!

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