Apprentice Security Officer

UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM

West Midlands, B15 2TT

Closes in 15 days (Wednesday 9 October)

Posted on 24 September 2024

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Contents

Summary

Security Officers are integral to our ability to provide 24/7 security provision at the University of Birmingham. The successful candidate will work and learn with one of four teams, led by a Team Manager and their deputy, responsible for keeping the university safe.

Annual wage
£19,495 a year

Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

Rising to £24,368 after 12 months service. Over the full 16 month apprenticeship there is an additional premia paid of £12,260. (comprising of weekend premia, night premia and guaranteed overtime payments).

Training course
Professional security operative (level 2)
Hours
Exact shifts to be confirmed You will be required to work 1584 hours per year plus 312 hours of guaranteed overtime.

42 hours a week

Possible start date

Monday 11 November

Duration

1 Year 4 Months

Positions available

1

Work

As an apprentice, you’ll work at a company and get hands-on experience. You’ll gain new skills and work alongside experienced staff.

What you’ll do at work

Main duties you will learn:

  • Provide security patrols or static duties across the university and its perimeter on foot, bicycle or vehicle to ensure the safety of the staff, students, and visitors, identify and report security risks and to protect the interests of the university
  • Respond to incidents, using the national decision-making model to resolve issues in sometimes challenging situations, remaining impartial, objective, and professional
  • Work with other departments in the university and external partners, like the emergency services to manage incidents
  • Provide advice on security matters where appropriate and escalate serious incidents for the attention of Team Managers or their deputy
  • Deal sensitively, compassionately and calmly with emergencies including serious wellbeing issues like mental health crises, serious crime and environmental emergencies like fire and flooding, providing advice, direction and support for students, colleagues and members of the public
  • Monitor the university for threats and risks and capture, record and report intelligence and information relevant to community safety and security for the University and its environs
  • Ensure that safeguarding incidents involving children and adults are reported in line with safeguarding responsibilities
  • Undertake security control room duties and operate control room security systems, including CCTV, telecommunications and others, including new systems that may come online, in compliance with the Data Protection Act, General Data Protection Regulations, Human Rights Act and other relevant legislation
  • Support locking and unlocking procedures for the university estate ensuring the safe custody and control of keys and alarms
    Undertake assigned duties for events and other special occasions as directed
  • Comply with the requirements of all health and safety regulations, to assess and report on risks and to take appropriate action to avert those risks
  • To include first aid and action to take in the event of fire
  • Ensure that all staff, students, and visitors are dealt with in accordance with the requirements of equality, diversity, and anti-discrimination legislation. Be inclusive and treat everyone with dignity and respect, supporting equality and valuing diversity
  • Attend court or internal hearings to give professional evidence as required
  • Participate in a culture of continuous improvement
  • Complete all mandatory training and undertake other required training and development to ensure that you are fully competent to perform your role, including where new technologies and systems are introduced to the university

Where you’ll work

Edgbaston

Birmingham

West Midlands

B15 2TT

Training

An apprenticeship includes regular training with a college or other training organisation. At least 20% of your working hours will be spent training or studying.

College or training organisation

MERCURY TRAINING SERVICES LTD

Your training course

Professional security operative (level 2)

Equal to GCSE

Course contents
  • Follow assignment instructions relevant to operational duties.
  • Carry out work in compliance with all regulations, guidance, legislation and organisational policies and procedures.
  • Use security systems, applications and software, technology and equipment in line with organisational and operational requirements.
  • Take action in the event of an incident, disruption, alarm activation or emergency, liaising with relevant people, escalating when necessary and recording actions and outcomes to meet guidance or organisational requirements.
  • Complete and maintain accurate documentation or reports to meet current legislation, guidance, or organisational requirements.
  • Challenge suspicious activities on or around the site and apply SCaN principles (see, check, and notify).
  • Deliver customer service to all stakeholders, responding to the needs of individuals.
  • Navigate a site plan or map of their working environment and areas.
  • Carry out observation of designated areas, report and record any irregularities mitigating security and safety threats.
  • Use digital communication applications and information management systems to communicate, learn, share, and record information.
  • Use personal protection equipment (PPE) correctly.
  • Use verbal and non-verbal communication skills (for example the 'Power of Hello’) when interacting with individuals.
  • Use an appropriate tone of voice in all communications that reflect the organisations or client’s values.
  • Contribute to review and improve the daily operating processes and procedures.
  • Defuse potential conflict situations.
  • Identify the component parts of explosive and incendiary items, firearms, and other prohibited items.
  • Carry out dynamic risk assessments at sites or locations.
  • Carry out various searches (for example, of areas, people, vehicles or items) in a operational security capacity.
  • Apply operational security access control systems, procedures, and forms of authorisation in crowded space environments or publicly accessible locations.
  • Identify, handle or potentially confiscate sensitive material, dangerous or prohibited items.
  • Patrol assigned areas for operational security to control access, detect and respond to unwanted activities, communicate, and report findings.
  • Deploy the correct type of barrier in an operational security context safely.
  • Carry out vehicle safety checks and basic maintenance on CViT vehicles.
  • Operate specially adapted vehicles' security system including load and unload mode.
  • Calculate the shortest and safest route between vehicle and collection point.
  • Read maps to find locations for CViT and re-route in case of traffic or diversions (paper map and/or sat nav technology).
  • Use communications and mapping equipment when operating a CViT vehicle.
  • Carry out various searches (for example, of areas, people, vehicles or items) in a mobile security capacity.
  • Patrol assigned areas for mobile security to control access, detect and respond to unwanted activities, communicate, and report findings.
  • Deploy correct type of barrier in a mobile security context safely.
  • Carry out vehicle safety checks and basic maintenance on mobile security vehicles.
  • Read maps to find locations for mobile security response and re-route in case of traffic or diversions (paper map and/or sat nav technology).
  • Use communications and mapping equipment when operating a mobile security vehicle.
  • Carry out various searches (for example, of areas, vehicles, or items) from the control room.
  • Apply control room access control systems, procedures, and forms of authorisation in crowded space environments or publicly accessible locations.
  • Scan and track assigned areas for control room to control access, detect and respond to unwanted activities, communicate, and report findings.
  • Deploy correct type of barrier in a control room context safely.
  • Identify and use components of a control room system.
  • Gather and store CCTV footage for evidential use.
  • Follow assignment instructions relevant to operational duties.
  • Carry out work in compliance with all regulations, guidance, legislation and organisational policies and procedures.
  • Use security systems, applications and software, technology and equipment in line with organisational and operational requirements.
  • Take action in the event of an incident, disruption, alarm activation or emergency, liaising with relevant people, escalating when necessary and recording actions and outcomes to meet guidance or organisational requirements.
  • Complete and maintain accurate documentation or reports to meet current legislation, guidance, or organisational requirements.
  • Challenge suspicious activities on or around the site and apply SCaN principles (see, check, and notify).
  • Deliver customer service to all stakeholders, responding to the needs of individuals.
  • Navigate a site plan or map of their working environment and areas.
  • Carry out observation of designated areas, report and record any irregularities mitigating security and safety threats.
  • Use digital communication applications and information management systems to communicate, learn, share, and record information.
  • Use personal protection equipment (PPE) correctly.
  • Use verbal and non-verbal communication skills (for example the 'Power of Hello’) when interacting with individuals.
  • Use an appropriate tone of voice in all communications that reflect the organisations or client’s values.
  • Contribute to review and improve the daily operating processes and procedures.
  • Defuse potential conflict situations.
  • Identify the component parts of explosive and incendiary items, firearms, and other prohibited items.
  • Carry out dynamic risk assessments at sites or locations.

    • Your training plan

    Training towards achieving the Professional Security Operative Level 2 Apprenticeship Standard will be delivered with our training provider partner Mercury Training using a variety of methods. 

    Training schedule has yet to be agreed upon, further details will be made available at a later date.

    This apprenticeship aligns with International Foundation for Protection Officers for Member level, for those successfully completing the apprenticeship.

    Requirements

    Desirable qualifications

    GCSE or equivalent in:

    • Maths & English (grade Grade 4 and above)

    Let the company know about other relevant qualifications and industry experience you have. They can adjust the apprenticeship to reflect what you already know.

    Skills

    • Communication skills
    • Attention to detail
    • Organisation skills
    • Customer care skills
    • Problem solving skills
    • Analytical skills
    • Logical
    • Team working
    • Initiative
    • Non judgemental
    • Patience
    • Physical fitness

    Other requirements

    You will be required to work 1584 hours per year plus 312 hours of guaranteed overtime. These hours will be worked on an alternating shift pattern of two 12-hour shifts (days and nights) covering 24 hours per day, 365 days per year. This working pattern equates to an average 42-hour working week.

    About this company

    A world top 100 university and part of the prestigious Russell Group, the University of Birmingham makes important things happen. Delivering groundbreaking research and excellent research led teaching. People are at the heart of what we are and do. The University of Birmingham is proud to have been a part of the City of Birmingham and the wider region for over 100 years, and we are equally proud to be recognised as a leading global university. We want to attract talented people from across the city and beyond, support them to succeed, and celebrate their success. We are committed to helping the people who work here to develop through our sector-leading Birmingham Professional programme which provides all professional services staff with development opportunities and the encouragement to reach their full potential. With almost 5,000 professional services jobs in a wide-range of functions in Edgbaston and in our campus in Dubai, there are plenty of opportunities for you to be able to develop your career at the University. We believe there is no such thing as a typical member of staff and that diversity is a source of strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation, and debate. We warmly welcome people from all backgrounds and are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where diversity is at the heart of who and what we are, and how we work. Supporting our people to achieve a healthy work/life balance is important both to our employees and to the success of the University and, depending on the role, we offer a variety of flexible working arrangements. We therefore welcome discussions on all forms of flexible working. In addition, you will receive a generous package of benefits including 40 days paid holiday a year, one paid day a year for volunteering, occupational sick pay, and a pension scheme. We also have three high quality subsidised day nurseries. The University is situated in leafy Edgbaston and there are excellent transport links to our beautiful campus, including main bus routes and a train station on site. On campus we have a state-of-the-art sports centre with pool, shops, places to eat and drink, our own art gallery, museum, and botanical gardens.

    https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/ (opens in new tab)

    Disability Confident

    Disability Confident

    A fair proportion of interviews for this apprenticeship will be offered to applicants with a disability or long-term health condition. This includes non-visible disabilities and conditions.

    You can choose to be considered for an interview under the Disability Confident scheme. You’ll need to meet the essential requirements to be considered for an interview.

    After this apprenticeship

    • Progression to a Security Officer

    This apprenticeship aligns with The Security Institute for two routes: an apprentice without prior experience in the sector can apply for membership at a Non-professional grade; and an apprentice with relevant work experience, along with industry-related level 3 and above qualifications may meet the criteria for a Professional Membership grade.

    Ask a question

    The contact for this apprenticeship is:

    MERCURY TRAINING SERVICES LTD

    apprenticeships@contacts.bham.ac.uk

    The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000278682.

    Apply now

    Closes in 15 days (Wednesday 9 October)

    When you apply, you’ll be asked to sign in with a GOV.UK One Login. You can create one at the same time as applying for this apprenticeship.

    After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.