Monday, April 30, 2007

Practical Security Surveying Training

On Monday 30th April eleven security professionals from literally across the world (from Siberia and Honk Kong eastwards and the USA westwards) assembled at ARC Training to undertake a one-week practical training course in Security Surveying and Design, under the guidance of Peter Horsburgh CPP PSP.

Seeking to join the security industry is RAF Personal Security Officer George Balmer, who is undertaking this course as part of his resettlement process.

During the programme the participants, who represent industries as diverse as banking, drinks manufacturing, tobacco, electronics, oil and gas and security consulting, will study the basics of security risk management and design. This will prepare them for the highlight of the programme, which will require them to work in teams to survey a "live" large retail and storage facility and produce a detailed survey report.

Security surveying is a fundamental security management duty, yet few managers have undergone formal practical training in the subject. The ARC Training course (accredited by Skills for Security), which is now in its seventh year, is regarded as the market leading training programme in this respect.

The next Security Survey and Design Course takes place 17-21 September.

Tuesday, April 24, 2007

World Landmark Hotel Plays Host to the ARC SCM Workshop in Dubai

Thirty participants have gathered at the Burj Al Arab Hotel in Dubai to take part in ARC’s Security Coordination and Management Workshop, run in partnership with Precept Management, our partners based in Oman.

The one-week Workshop, whose participants have come from across the Middle East, Pakistan and India, are taking part in a lively and interactive series of training sessions covering a range of security issues ranging from risk management through security design and physical security, to IT security and investigations. All are eagerly taking part in the sessions, sharing their experiences, opinions and concerns in debates and discussions on the many aspects covered.

Security professionals from the hospitality, oil, telecommunications and financial sectors are discovering the breadth of security concerns facing modern business, and will no doubt leave this superb setting with increased knowledge and fired with enthusiasm for developing their own departments and improving their business processes.
The spectacular setting of the Workshop venue is a dramatic backdrop to this demanding but rewarding training experience.

Monday, April 23, 2007

Security Management Stage 3 (Strategic Skills) Course

Delegates from as far away as Pakistan, Malaysia and Siberia will be attending the forthcoming Security Management Stage 3 Course, which takes place 14-25 May in Reading, UK.

This is the first of three university-accredited Security Management Stage 3 courses planned for 2007, which focus on developing delegates' strategic business management and strategic security management skills in areas such as corporate risk management, change management, business leadership and strategic vision, corporate social responsibility, stakeholder liaison, business finance, investigating industrial espionage, business continuity manaement, product tampering, product counterfeiting, kidnap risk reduction, terrorism risk management, the CBRN threat, and IT security.

Contact Janet for information on how to book a place.

The ASIS Physical Security Professional (PSP) Certification

As the demand for suitably qualified security practitioners increases, there is much interest this year in the ASIS Physical Security Professional (PSP) certification, with expressions of interest in the ARC review programme from as far a field as South Africa and the Czech Republic.

The PSP credential allows practitioners to demonstrate expertise in conducting physical security surveys to identify vulnerabilities and performing cost analysis for the selection of integrated physical security measures. The PSP officially recognizes specialized knowledge in systems procurement, final acceptance testing, and implementation procedures. Anybody who has five years experience in physical security is eligible to sit the examination.

Preparation begins in July, leading up to a November 3rd examination. For details contact David.

Security Manager Focus – Toyin Olarewaju

Toyin Olarewaju, Head of Security Operations for Elf Petroleum in Nigeria, is not a typical security manager, but is one who must surely set the bar for the security manager model of the future.

Toyin, who is currently attending the Security Management Stage 1 Course, was born in Birmingham, educated in Nigeria where he graduated as a qualified lawyer, served for nine years in London’s Metropolitan Police Service, and has a Masters Degree in Legal Psychology. And all of this achieved before his 40th birthday!

Friday, April 20, 2007

Staff News - Welcome Nicky!

Welcome to Nicky Grimshaw, who joins ARC as Sales and Marketing Executive. As part of the company’s continued expansion, Nicky will become a key figure in the sales and marketing effort, drawing on her previous experiences in similar roles in a telecoms company and a language services provider.

Prior to working in sales and marketing, Nicky worked with behaviourally challenged children, a role which she thinks will stand her in good stead for working with ARC trainers! We will see, Nicky!!!

Thursday, April 19, 2007

Partner News - Precept Oman

It is with sadness that ARC says goodbye to Emi, who has worked for our partner company Precept in Oman for the past two years. Emi has been a familiar face to those attending ARC security management programmes in Oman and Dubai, and we will all miss her cheerful, helpful and very efficient manner.

Thank you for all you have done for ARC and good luck for the future, Emi!

Security Management Stage 1 - News

Delegates attending the two-week Security Management Stage 1 Course in Reading, UK, took a welcome break from three days of intensive study of risk management, security operations management, security design, crime prevention, premises security, the voluntary principles on security and human rights and personnel protection to enjoy a relaxing evening of ten pin at the Kassam Stadium, Oxford.

Team-focussed social events are an important part of the Security Management Stage 1 curriculum, which brings together delegates from diverse backgrounds and many different parts of the world. Pictured left is a jubilant Menahi from Saudi Arabian Chevron Inc, Kuwait, whose team won the evening's event. Overall individual winner was Daz from GlaxoSmithKline.

The next Security Management Stage 1 Course will take place in Dhaka, Bangladesh, in May. It will be attended by delegates from across South and South-East Asia. Please contact the training team if you would like to organise a Security Management Stage 1 in your region.

Staff News - Welcome Bev!

Welcome to Bev McIntyre, who has joined the ARC team as Training Resources Administrator.

Bev’s sound administration and organisational skills are being utilised to the full on the current two-week university-accredited Security Management Stage 1 Course, where she manages the day-to-day administration of thirteen delegates from the UK, Bulgaria, Hungary, Kuwait, Nigeria, Qatar, Romania and the Russian Far East.

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Warnings of a Reconstituted Al Qaeda Threat to Europe

Following last week’s bombings in Algeria, in which 33 people died, the Jamestown Foundation is warning of a reconstituted Al Qaeda threat from Maghreb North Africa with direct implications for Europe. The attack was claimed by the GSPC, which pledged allegiance to Osama Bin Laden and Al Qaeda in 2006.

Immediate concerns focus on France, which is preparing for presidential elections. France is on the red alert level - the third highest out of four, (the highest being scarlet).

For copies of reports featuring the Reconstituted Al Qaeda in North Africa contact David.

Legal Corner - Email Monitoring

Employers in the UK who monitor staff email accounts may be in breach of the Human Rights Act 2000, following a new ruling in which the European Court of Human Rights awarded a UK employee £6,000 damages against her employer for breach of privacy.

For details of the story go to http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/6559873.stm

For details of the Human Rights Act 2000 go to http://www.crimereduction.gov.uk/hra.htm

Friday, April 13, 2007

National Focus - Russia


Russian candidate and independent security consultant Andrey Shcherbakov CPP proudly displays his ASIS International Certified Protection Professional certificate at the ARC Training exhibition stand in Berlin.

The ASIS UK Chapter collaborates with the ARC Training International Academy for Security Management in offering CPP review training to ARC training overseas clients at UK Chapter-subsidised rates.

Examinations, administered by the International Academy, are held during the first weekend of November every year.

The review programmes are led by Barry Walker, who has a remarkable 80% success rate of getting candidates through the examination first time.

For further details contact David or Janet.

Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Latest Publications News

The following free publications make interesting reading:


MI5 - Personnel Security (Employee Screening and the Insider Threat)

MIPT - Terrorism Annual 2006

ASIS - Draft Information Security Guidelines

Chatham House - The CBRN Threat




Email ARC if you would like a copy.