Think “training” and what comes to mind? For many, the answer is images of chilly conference rooms full of students taking notes as an instructor leads them through multiple PowerPoint presentations over several days on the roles and responsibilities of being a security guard.
Not that there’s anything wrong with that. After all, that’s the way it’s always been done.
There are many excellent instructors who make security guard training engaging, impactful, and deliver the information with consistency from class to class.
And just as many who don’t. Are you sure about the quality of training and uniformity of messaging your new security guard hires receive?
So, the question becomes, do you continue to do things the old-fashioned way with varying results, or invest in technology to modernize your content and ensure the consistency and repeatability of critical information through online training?
For many private contract security firms, the answer is a function of dollars and cents. They believe the upfront cost to build an interactive online guard training module is astronomical compared to the price of running a series of live instructor-led training classes. But is it really?
While we can’t quantify hard numbers for an example here as courseware development and delivery expenses vary widely given the subject and location, we can perform a generic courseware development and delivery cost analysis.
| Training Element | Expense Type | Live Training | Online Training | Comment |
| Content Development | One Time | $$ | $$$$ |
Yes, it will be more expensive to build an online interactive training module than a hardcopy instructor guide and PowerPoints, but the one-time cost to create original content and curriculum design will be incurred for both live and online training. |
| Classroom Materials | Recurring | $ | —— |
An instructor guide must be printed for each trainer, plus student guides and handouts printed for every attendee. Easels, flip charts, and markers are needed for classroom exercises, and testing materials must be provided for every class. |
| Live Instructor | Recurring | $$ | —— |
Whether using a salaried in-house trainer or a third-party instructor, someone is getting paid to deliver live training. If the owner conducts the class, that is time not spent building the business. |
| Implementation | Recurring | $$ | —— |
If a training room is not available at the business office, a hotel conference room and a whiteboard may need to be rented. Students will require lunch and snacks. If coming from long distances, some attendees may need a hotel room or travel reimbursement. |
| Administration | Recurring | $ | —— |
Someone on staff must schedule the class, notify the attendees of time and place, book the instructor, print the student guides, and make the arrangements for a hotel conference room and equipment rental, meals, transportation, etc. |
| Remediation | Recurring | $$ | —— |
If a student fails the course they must repeat the entire class, occupying a costly seat in a classroom for a second time. |
| Training Wages | Recurring | $$ | —— |
If you send a security guard to live training, you will have to take them out of the field and pay for their time in the classroom, hire an instructor, etc. |
The bottom line is that while it may be more expensive to build an online interactive security guard training module than to commission the development of a hardcopy instructor guide and supporting materials, the ongoing costs of delivering live training will eclipse those of online training after just a few classes.
The annual salary of a full-time instructor alone is enough to fund the development of several online security guard courses, to say nothing of the day-to-day expenses of offering live instructor-led training.
As part of the business case analysis, consider that with online guard training the cost per head will decrease over time, amortizing the one-time development costs over a continuously growing population of graduates with virtually no additional expenses for delivery.
With live guard training, a fresh set of expenses are incurred for every class (save for original content development fees) that continue to eat a chunk of overhead every month…and we hardly considered the impact of soft costs such as lost billable hours while waiting weeks to fill the next class, variable instructor presentation styles affecting student knowledge transfer and message consistency, the inability of some candidates to attend days of in-person training, and potential student disengagement during class.
With efficient online self-paced security guard training from Defencify, your new hires can get started on their training immediately, without recurring delivery costs, and with the consistency needed to train your entire workforce to state-approved standards.
In addition to building customized content branded to your firm, Defencify also offers a complete library of state-certified unarmed security guard training courses at affordable cost-per-seat rates.
Stop training the old-fashioned way; the business case for online security guard training is clear. Visit us at www.defencifytraining.com to learn more.