Training in the CCTV industry, Standards too low! Options

[Ilkie]

Over the last couple of weeks I have been recruiting an additional CCTV engineer to join our happy team.

I have been shocked that of all the engineers who applied, not one had any formal training in CCTV.

Most had no training in in any security discipline at all despite some of them holding senior engineering positions.

What is wrong with this industry.

It's time the end user woke up to the fact that the majority of the companies seem to think training is unnecessary and that using trained staff to fit security systems a luxury

Ilkie

[Mick]

........... AND ON A SIMILAR NOTE -

I don't know of one trained / accreditted public space CCTV operator / supervisor / control room manager, who also holds an engineering / appropriate technical qualification !

SO ON A LIGHTER NOTE -

If there was one, would he / she spend all their time trying to have themselves over ? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[Doktor Jon]

I've got to be a little bit diplomatic how I phrase this, but as someone who has also never had any formal training, I actually have to be eternally grateful for that.

It's worth remembering that for perhaps the first twenty years of my questionable career, there were no CCTV training schemes. That said, whilst I was bench servicing equipment back in the '70s (amongst other things), the level of technical knowledge amongst sales people was really nothing to write home about.

Although the sales ... persons often didn't really have a clue what they were selling, the small band of technical bods that actually did installations and maintenance were generally very proficient at making the systems work well.

Sadly, given the huge growth in the industry, there are just way too many "engineers" out there, who wouldn't know one end of an oscilloscope from a soldering iron ( one displays, one burns (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) ).

I recently spoke to an 'academic' that was planning to launch a new degree training programme for security electronics. On the nice glossy brochure, there were pictures of CCTV cameras, so somewhat naively, I asked him what they were planning to teach about video surveillance as part of the overall course.

Can you guess the answer yet .... "we haven't actually got that far"

Suffice to say, they are planning to launch the course at the start of the next academic year ... in September (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wallbash.gif)

Final thought for you; almost all the high profile reports on CCTV effectiveness have been prepared by academics, who themselves have absolutely no technical qualifications or experience in the engineering side of CCTV.

What can I say ..... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/no.gif)

[Ilkie]

Dear Jon,

Yes I agree, but as CCTV was a new industry, the technical people who were working on such systems normally had a related industry background (ie electronics, television, radio etc).

Today Security is a career in its own right and therefore people are coming into the trade from school or college with no background in a related industry (at this point I do not consider electricians to have much relate experience).

Now days when a client employs a builder he expects the plasters and bricklayers to have evidence of training in the trade but not with CCTV.

One of the commments amde by every engineer I interviewed was to complain that training was promised by their company but none was provided.

Roll on compulsory registration I say and lets make evidence of training in CCTV an obligation.

I agree with Mick as well, I do know a few CCTV Managers with a formal technical background but they are few and far between.

It frightening to put a manger with no relevant training in charge of CCTV systems that run to millions of pounds but more often or not this happens! (no doubt this happens in the Police as well, (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink2.gif) )

Consultants as well?

Ilkie

[Doktor Jon]

Now don't get me started on consultants Ilkie (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

It's true that in the 'early days' most engineers had a complimentary background, so actually producing images (which was all that was asked of them), was actually relatively straightforward, and successful.

Nowadays, there are so many aspects of the work which requires a much broader understanding of so many diverse and challenging disciplines, that it's extremely rare to find good people with a balanced and extensive knowledge base.

It's often someone who has a bit of knowledge who gets lumbered with a particular task, and then the role expands but unfortunately development of their abilities rarely keep pace with the demands being made upon them. So when things are done badly, it usually goes unnoticed because no manager will ever admit they've got things wrong, and their bosses generally haven't got a clue anyway.

It was precisely because of the widespread lack of understanding about even some of the most basic of concepts, that persuaded me to start the 'Doktor Jon' project in the first place.
Whether I can further develop it to the next level, really does depend on whether the industry is prepared to support what I'm trying to achieve; and in that respect, I suppose only time will tell (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif)

In the meantime, no prizes for guessing what I'm doing today, but in case you need it, here's a little clue for you .... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wallbash.gif)

[Mr Jeff]

Oh dear, I've never had any formal CCTV training. I think I was given a camera and experimented with it. I certainly had the knowledge of the basic electronics involved before reaching the CCTV industry, but I'm not certain where it all came from. Maybe the pages of Wireless World.

[Doktor Jon]

Oh dear, I've never had any formal CCTV training. I think I was given a camera and experimented with it. I certainly had the knowledge of the basic electronics involved before reaching the CCTV industry, but I'm not certain where it all came from. Maybe the pages of Wireless World.

Now I wonder how many old TV's have been repaired courtesy of Wireless World (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

My personal gripe is not about the requirements for decent training, but the premis that any training is better than none, even if the training on offer may be deficient in many areas.

I think notwithstanding any 'documents' that may or may not be published in the not too distant future (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink2.gif) there will be an inevitable raising of standards generally over the next few years, although I'm not convinced it will be a totally pain free process.