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Good training is everything

A lack of effective training can hamper surveillance effectiveness.

Whether on the rugby field or in the work place, teams that lack adequate training are likely to be soundly beaten by the competition.

Yet, in so many cases, these defeats can be averted by addressing performance issues with correct training, believes Larry Sloley, Tavcom training officer for Elvey Security Technologies.

“It is a mathematical equation: a lack of training equates to a loss of profit,” he says. “Field workers without sufficient technical knowledge often end up costing their companies more money than would have been spent on training courses.”

The security industry, he adds, is a case in point. Challenged by a glut of underskilled installers in the fields of intruder alarms, access control and CCTV, mistakes are commonplace and impact heavily on bottom lines.

Training is the best way of preparing a team to perform intelligently and logically under all circumstances, Sloley maintains. A job done properly the first time is the only way to create a professional image in the eyes of the customer, to limit callbacks and to ensure positive word-of-mouth advertising.

In the CCTV Systems Planning course, Tavcom focuses on ensuring that students are au fait with the full range of operational requirements. From site surveying to equipment assessments and job costings, Tavcom trains sales staff and technicians to be able to deliver a complete service to their clients.

“When designing a ‘fit-for-purpose’ system, it is important to know more than just the basics. A knowledgeable technician will not only be able to install a system properly but will also be able to configure it to deliver at its capacity. A lack of proper training often results in a hit and miss approach,” says Sloley.

Being able to understand product limitations, benefits and applications is critical to professional installers who want to determine the exact requirements of a job. In large installations, the choice of lens can mean the success or failure of the project. The effectiveness of a system, or the lack thereof, can also depend on factors such as selecting the appropriate transmission method and understanding the spectral responses of cameras under different lighting conditions. If these are not done professionally, the system will under-deliver and the client will be disappointed.

Accordingly in their courses, Tavcom uses devices such as Rotakin target boards, to measure and improve CCTV camera effectiveness. One of just a handful of trainers in South Africa to use such teaching aides, Sloley said he strives to stay abreast of best international practices and apply them locally even though the local market has not yet implemented a code of practice.

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