Integrated Systems Diploma – A Learner’s Perspective
Four years ago, Leonard Pearce came across the Tavcom Training stall at IFSEC 2016. Little did he know it would take him on a three-year journey of learning and progression. As a manager for an access controls and instrumentation section, continual training is highly encouraged in his job role. He says: ‘Even though I’ve been doing current job role for 8 years we are always encouraged to continue with our training and development.’ After coming across Tavcom and being presented with an opportunity to do just that, he took it.
Starting with a CCTV Legislation classroom course in 2017, Leonard then went on to complete a number of courses with Tavcom including: Foundation Access Control, CCTV over IP Networking, Foundation Intruder Alarms and Practical Optical Fibre just to name a few. Eventually he heard about the Fast Track Integrated Systems Diploma and decided to go for it: ‘The Diploma really appealed to me because it was almost fully tailored for my job role. The fact that it was one course covering everything I needed was what attracted me.’
The Integrated Systems Fast Track Diploma provides learners with the ability to attend specially selected courses on a ‘back to back’ basis over 4 consecutive weeks. It is the ideal course for any security systems engineer looking to get to grips with all aspects of their job role. The five specialist courses covered in the Diploma are:
- Practical CCTV Installation
- Practical Intruder Alarm Installation
- Practical IP and Networking
- Practical Access Control Installation
- Post Course Study and Project
Each of these 5-day courses delivers 50 Notional Learning Hours. A post-course project will give the learner the additional learning hours required, with the final total cumulating in 370 NHL (Notional Learning Hours).
Upon successfully completing the course, Leonard found it to be ‘absolutely great’, commenting: ‘The teachers are all very able and obviously all specialists in their subject area. Their knowledge really came through’. He also adds that he found the training facilities to be good and able to meet the needs of the learners, and the learning support both in the classroom and outside it to be supportive, culminating in an overall positive experience.
How did the course benefit him in his role? Leonards says: ‘The Diploma has been a huge help; it’s allowed me to become a specialist on certain things in my job role and given me new, up-to-date knowledge.’ Of course learning doesn’t just stop once you leave the classroom, especially with the ever evolving state of technology in the security systems industry, so further future training for him is definitely on the cards: ‘I want to book onto a biometric course in the future and broaden my knowledge in that area.’ He concludes: ‘Overall, I would really recommend Tavcom Training for security training. I’ve told a number of my colleagues about you and one of them is already booked on to do a Practical Access Control Course next year.’
I asked him what he would say to learners who want to learn and boost their credentials but are wary of going back into a school-like environment. ‘It’s not a ‘school’ environment’, he says, ‘it’s very much a supportive environment with lots of hands-on practical work mixed in. I’d really recommend it, don’t be afraid. The only thing that could be improved is after so many weeks of training another choice of sandwich!’
To find out more about Tavcom Training’s range of courses, click here.
