A new partnership between a Midlands-based training provider and a national security and rail provider could create up to 100 jobs nationwide.
Initially, 24 jobs in the Northamptonshire and Milton Keynes area will be created by the partnership between Servo Group and PQMS. The companies will be supporting unemployed candidates and putting them through their Personal Track Safety Card and Security Industry Association qualifications. The training will be fully funded, with further funding in place to support 100 candidates, around the country, next year.
PQMS will also be providing all rail and security training for Servo’s operatives across the UK.
The PTS qualification gives workers the necessary accreditation to work on railway lines – it is mandatory to work on or near any line owned or managed by Network Rail. The SIA qualification is the mandatory certification needed to work in any role within the private security industry from manned guarding to event security.
Leeds-based Servo Group is a multi-service provider that has achieved fast, national growth since its inception in 2014. The company, which provides reliable S.I.A licensed manned guarding, CCTV, vetted and screened rail labour and property management services serves high-profile clients such as Buckingham Group, Balfour Beatty and Stobart Group with a 2019 projected turnover of £9million. It has been awarded some major rail tenders, including work on the upcoming HS2 build.
Bedworth-based PQMS is an independent training provider which specialises in security, rail and construction training and is approved under the Government’s apprenticeship scheme.
Nickie McIntyre from Servo said: “This partnership is great news in terms of providing jobs and finding skilled workers who wouldn’t otherwise have been able to find money for their own training to boost their employment chances. We will be supporting 24 candidates through training this year, and then hopefully 100 next year so they have the accredited skills they need to progress in two fast growing industries.”
The rail sector, which already accounts for 225,000 UK jobs, is predicted to see a surge of job creation in the next few years due to ongoing Government commitments to improve the state of the industry. Private and public sector investment in rail is expected to boost the UK economy by nearly £85 billion. The SIA – licensed security sector is also growing incredibly fast, with Intersecmag predicting it will be worth £4.3 billion by 2020.
Milton Keynes and Northamptonshire, where the initial jobs will be created, both have a higher benefits claimant count than the national average, with Milton Keynes Council reporting a JSA claimant count of 1.2% and Northamptonshire having a combined JSA and Universal Credit claimant count of 1.7%
