Asset Protection Officer

The purpose of this to part-qualification is to prepare a learner to function as an Asset Protection Officer. An Asset Protection Officer controls and protects assets, individuals and property, identifies and responds to emergency situations to provide a safe environment and documents incidents pertaining to safety and security within own scope of work, responding to emergency alarms, reacting to complaints received and investigating incidents. It will provide learners with competencies in all aspects of legal, regulatory, and procedural security operations to operate professionally. The part-qualification providers offer career opportunities within the security environment. Qualifying learners will be employed by public or private security agencies, including residential complexes, homes, educational, cultural, financial, health institutions, businesses, retail establishments, investigation service companies, transportation facilities, and .organisations throughout the private and public sectors, or they may be self-employed. A qualified learner will demonstrate the following attributes: Honesty, Trustworthy, Punctuality, Critical thinker, and Reliable.

The security industry is globally recognised as the largest and fastest-growing industry, spurred on by the perception of increasing crime affecting individuals, businesses, and governments. The Asset Protection Officer occupation is highly regulated internationally, and individuals wishing to practice must be licensed by the regulatory body. The demand to protect goods and services surges given the progressing technology, and this requires qualified and competent Asset Protection Officers to deter, detect, and investigate criminal and illegal activities, and to maintain secure environments, which is growing steadily. Currently there are no other similar occupational qualifications for this specific specialisation area registered on the NQF. The part-qualification will benefit societies by ensuring improved security services for members of the community, as well as protecting goods and property. The economy will benefit from increased optimisation of the security service to the community it serves by more efficient and adequate protection and guarding services. This would encourage more businesses to invest and grow, which would increase employment opportunities. The part-qualification contributes to the development of qualified security officers in the country. The part- qualification providers offer career opportunities within the security environment. Qualifying learners will be employed by public or private security agencies, residential complexes and homes, educational, cultural, financial and health institutions, businesses and retail establishments, investigation service companies, transportation facilities, and organisations throughout the private and public sectors, or they may be self-employed. The part-qualification provides progression possibilities in related occupations to security-related qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF). There is professional registration needed for the Asset Protection Officer with the relevant regulatory body. This part-qualification is an entry-level qualification, and typical learners include individuals who want to enter the security industry or those already working in the industry without formal qualification. It will provide learners with competencies in all aspects of legal, regulatory and procedural and visible security operations to operate professionally. Consultation with stakeholders from the regulatory body, training providers, public and private security organisations formed part of the development process. Typical occupations in which the qualifying learner will operate: Security Officer, Watchman, Guard, Railway Patrol Officer, Mobile Patrol Officer, and Beach Patrol Officer / Beach Guard.

• Demonstrate the ability to respond to emergency alarms, react to complaints received and investigate incidents.
• Complete written reports of occurrences, duties performed and comprehensive descriptions of observations.