Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am very happy to join you here for the opening of the SAS International Training and Assessment Institute. This is indeed an important initiative of the Security Association (Singapore).
Two years ago, I was told by the officials of the Union of Security Employees that there was a lack of training opportunities for security personnel, especially for those who are working in the smaller firms. At that time, training for security personnel was fragmented and uneven. Some of the bigger security companies conducted in-house courses for their employees. But the smaller ones did not have the resources and capability to do so. As a result, the standard in the industry varied from company to company.
We had to find a way to make training opportunities available to more workers in the industry. The Union then worked with NTUC and Premier Security to allow more employees from the smaller firms to take Premier's courses with a subsidy grant from the Government. That programme took off with helpful, modest results.
SAS has added new training opportunities. You brought together more resources to set up an institute to address the problem and to benefit the workers directly. May I be the first to congratulate you on the institute's opening!
There are about 250 security agencies, employing 10,000 personnel in the industry. There are another 20,000 staff employed directly by their companies for security work. These large numbers are an indication of the key role the security industry plays in our economy. Every major building or commercial complex needs security protection. The security staff ensure the safety of the premises, the people visiting and working in them, and the valuable items that are kept there. Without a high level of security protection, the investors and occupants of the premises will have far less peace of mind.
The work in the security industry is becoming more sophisticated and increasingly demanding. The job is not just a simple task of manning the entrances and patrolling the premises. Security personnel now manage a wide range of detection, communication, protective and recording equipment. They have to deal with many diverse situations, sometimes dangerous. They need to exercise good judgement, and react at all times with confidence and professionalism. To achieve this high standard of performance, the workers need to continuously keep up with training and skills upgrading.
Up till now there was no industry standard to recognise the expertise of the trained and experienced security personnel. There were not many certified courses available that the whole security industry would accept when they hired new recruits.
This institute fills the gap. It will open an opportunity for many more security workers to be formally trained and certified. This will enhance the continuing employability of the workers in the entire industry.
The institute offers courses from basic to supervisory levels. There are specialised courses to meet the needs of the retail, manufacturing, hotel, and logistics sectors. The SAS, SPRING Singapore and the Police are consulting closely to keep the curriculum relevant and up-to-date. This will ensure that the value the institute adds to the industry and the economy will always remain high.
Apart from conducting structured courses, I hope the institute will also be able to organise periodic presentations on developing issues that the security personnel need to know about. For example, the institute may hold briefings on the terrorist threat that we are facing in South East Asia. Also of current concern is the control of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, or SARS, in Singapore. Our security personnel have a direct role in keeping Singaporeans safe from terrorist attacks and the spread of disease, as they are often at the first level of checking to make sure that nothing should go wrong. To do their jobs well, security personnel need to be armed with not just the correct equipment, but also with timely and accurate information about what they may encounter at the work place.
The work in the security industry is a challenging one. The challenges grow more pressing each passing day. By setting up this institute, SAS shows that it recognises the challenges and has taken concrete steps to meet them. You are off to a good start. I am sure that you will make strong and rapid progress. I wish you every success. Thank you.
