Two topics of discussions that dominate social media, both in the U.S. and abroad are certification and the state of training in 
the protection industry. In reality, the two subjects cannot be separated. IMHO – The job market wants, and will support, a certification that meets standards set by respected industry and government organizations. Those who supply job opportunities welcome a certification that withstands the scrutiny of the corporate, legal, and insurance community. Nonetheless, there are still global job markets in the protection business where certification, insurance risk, and liability are not major concerns.
Many protection practitioners, new and old, who seek certification do not have a clear understanding of the concept as defined by most other industries. That is largely because of the huge number of bodyguard/EP training providers who use the word certification as a marketing tool, without any real idea of what it means.
Training and Certification
In other industries, it’s common practice to conduct training and issue a certificate. That is a reasonable and accepted practice, evidenced by the number of certified seminars and events that cover a particular industry or subject. But that’s not the same as certification. For decades the EP/Security Driver training available does not confer certification. It is training for a certificate. There is an enormous difference. This does not mean that the certificate is not valuable, but it is not a certification as defined by the accrediting organizations that are the standards in many other industries. And that is the key issue.
The simple fact is that training community does not set the criteria for certification. If the EP/Security Driver industry wants to be recognized by the job market as credible and professional, the industry must do what other industries do – follow the guidelines recognized by credentialing organizations. These organizations require a combination of experience and a certification process that ensures an individual has been tested and measured against an objective standard.
The quality and legitimacy of a certification are determined by the standards used to govern the program. Hence a question, and maybe the most important question, you ask the training provider – What are the standards that I will be trained to, and where are these standards documented?
The major issue is experience vs. certification. It may be hard to accept, but you cannot enter a training program with little or no experience and, at the end of five, seven, or whatever days later, be certified by those who have conducted the training.
This post is from the International Security Driver Association
The International Security Driver Association (ISDA) serves the Protective Services community. ISDA’s mission is to support an international forum of protective service providers who share knowledge for the purpose of enhancing the profession.
The most common question we at ISDA get asked is, “Is ISDA for Security Drivers and Secure Transportation Providers only?” The answer is a big NO. ISDA is a valuable resource for all practitioners working in the protection profession. Members of ISDA represent all facets and levels of the protective services profession as an example.
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