WRITTEN EVIDENCE
SUBMITTED BY
MAGGIE GALLIERS
CBE, PRINCIPAL OF
LEICESTER COLLEGE
[OS 04]
The Bridging the Gap programme has trained
6,374 young people to fully accredited door supervisor standard
over a two year period specifically for the 2012 Olympics.
All of these young people completed a four day door
supervision training programme and gained the recognised door
supervisor qualification. They completed most of their training
at the weekend or in their own personal time.
Security firms rely on students to fill transient
work opportunities throughout the year. Many have already successfully
completed working at a number of key sporting and arts events.
A number of students have also worked for G4S at
the Test events in May. G4S have asserted that the students were
of a high calibre and Carried out their tasks to the best of their
ability.
The recent criticism of young people in a few newspapers
is in sharp contrast to earlier articles published by the same
newspapers in May where portrayed a positive profile of young
people eager to play a part in delivering a safe and secure Olympics.
The British security Industry Association BSIA viewed
the Bridging the Gap programme as one of the top initiatives
developed with the industry and it was the SIA who asked colleges
to develop the programme to avoid a shortage of qualified personnel
at the Olympics. They have publicly praised the programme in many
forums for getting thousands of students qualified and available
for employment at the Games. Plans are already in place to build
on a legacy creating employment opportunities with the wider security
industry post Olympics.
The LOCOG venue and security board praised Bridging
the Gap's contribution to London 2012 and confirmed it had
met and exceeded their target of 3,300 students qualified and
available for G4S deployment at the Olympics. Students have only
encountered major problems during the G4S processing stage which
includes the last elements of screening, vetting and role specific
training.
All of the young people are 18 years of age and have
planned their summer around employment at the Olympics. In addition
to the four days completing the door supervision qualification,
they have attended G4S interviews and have been undertaking additional
security training whilst awaiting screening and vetting outcomes.
Until recent press reports about an inadequate interview
process, colleges have generally found that students had a thorough
interview process by G4S to select them for employment.
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?>G4S are committed to hiring these
qualified students as part of their contractual arrangements with
LOCOG. They have however, failed to put in place the management
and communication resources to get these enthusiastic and motivated
students through the last elements of the recruitment process.
Despite this, we still support our students and G4S and
will continue to do so as long as there is a chance that the promise
of employment opportunities made to students can be delivered.
The students are drawn from 90 UK colleges who have
encouraged these young people to give up their own time to qualify
for employment at the event of a lifetime. The Principals of these
colleges are frustrated by the continued delay in communications
and in getting students into the work place.
Fortunately the qualification and experience of working
in other venues is giving students employability skills and part
time earnings. Whilst the experience cannot be deemed a complete
waste, it will certainly leave a negative impression should these
young people fail to be employed at the Games, especially given
that there is a shortage of personnel with the requisite qualifications
these young people have already gained.
We urge G4S to immediately apply all of their resources
to ensure that as many qualified students as possible are deployed
into safe and rewarding employment at the Olympic Games.
July 2012
END
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