Having defined the host hotel for this year's Summit in Panama — Hotel El Panama — we are now concentrating on the core of the event, the conference program. Based on what we learned at the 2010 Summit held in Miami and the topics suggested by the participants, we plan for this year a program of conferences with more emphasis on management, strategy and negotiation issues.
For this we will have the participation and support of speakers of high level and with extensive experience in the international arena. For example, we have obtained the support of INCAE, one of the main business schools in Latin America, which will be represented by Professor Julio Sergio Ramírez, professor of this prestigious entity and who will prepare a special conference for the managers of security companies.
We will also have the presence of Ely Magendzo, a renowned Chilean specialist in high motivational impact presentations aimed at enhancing management skills.
We will also be accompanied by Ricardo Martínez Rivadeneira, an experienced guest lecturer on the subject of the Balanced Scorecard in courses, forums and seminars by various associations, universities, institutes, centers and guilds at an international level.
We will also have a conference on comprehensive security strategies, based on Latin American case studies, which will be presented by Eng. Samuel Yecutieli, Venezuelan security entrepreneur and scholar of the subject, with fieldwork in several cities in Latin America.
To see the point of view of end users, we will have the presence and conference of Eng. Gerardo del Lago, security manager for Latin America of Laureate International Universities, who will talk about security strategies on university campuses and will talk about the end user/security provider relationship, from his end user point of view.
And this year we will repeat the Manufacturers Discussion Panel, which was last year one of the central points of the first Management Summit held in Miami, and was unanimously requested to be included in the 2011 program. This panel will involve sales and marketing managers from manufacturing companies.
And you can't miss it. Reverse your place by writing to Jennifer Cardona in [email protected] or calling her at 786-299-5105. Places are limited.
Victor Alarcon
Chief executive officer
Why certifications are important
For ALAS it is essential to promote education in the industry through its certification courses and thus raise the level of professionalism in companies.
Professionals and technicians in the security industry have the opportunity to obtain certifications in different areas and with different institutions, but some companies and even the professionals themselves are not clear why and for what they must be certified.
The Latin American Security Association, ALAS, offers a variety of certifications that can be taken in many Latin American countries or online through an internet connection. It should be noted that most are 16 to 18 academic hours.
It is as important to attend courses as it is to become certified.
True! Many countries, cities and companies require contractors to be certified according to the type of service they need, in order to ensure that the work done is excellent and with quality. In this sense, certifications become a vote of confidence.
It is important that the participant learns in the courses and strengthens their knowledge, but ultimately, their learning will be reflected in obtaining the certification.
In this regard, Marcelo Colanero, president of the Chamber of Electronic Security Argentina, CASEL and Intelektron S.A., Argentina says: "Technology and equipment advance so fast in this area, that the professional, as we say in Argentina, 'can not rest on the laurels', since he is obliged to stay updated and continue taking courses and even renew his certifications, updated periodically."
Henry Silva, technical manager of the company Nivel 9 of Venezuela said: "In the security industry, certifications allow to generate confidence of a product, brand or device on compliance with the technical requirements established by organizations that ensure the execution of these standards. And in this way they assure integrative, professional and technical companies that their products do not cause harm to humans."
In addition, for many types of tenders or contracts, entities look for the best alternative, and usually companies that have their certified employees have more chances of obtaining the business since, for this characteristic alone, they consider them better qualified.
Certification, a competitive advantage
Security companies that have their employees certified in courses, and that are continuously updating them through trainings have many advantages:
If the professional of a company that is providing a service has certifications, this will generate more credibility to the client and will result in the good reputation and image of the authorized installers, the name of the company in which he works and the security industry in general.
Customers like that the companies they are going to hire have certifications. That generates security and tranquility because in advance they perceive that the work will be the best.
A certified professional or technician is more competent because it strengthens their knowledge and the level of the company. This in the end will be reflected in efficient work and more satisfied customers who will look for them again or recommend them.
The quality of the professionals is optimized and therefore the processes of the companies since if they participate in courses they are in constant learning, they are updated in the different topics, the knowledge, competences and skills are strengthened and the works are perfected.
Certification provides a career path. As an employee it means keeping up with technology and as a company, being at the forefront.
Marcelo Colanero, points out that "as far as certification is concerned, this is no longer an option and became a necessity. Mainly because of the quality of knowledge and work that is increasingly demanded of companies. Certifications are synonymous with training, professionalism and responsible work." Said.
"But also taking into account that everything that is incorporated and invested in training, the professional will take it with him forever, no matter what company he is working in or if he is doing his own venture. It will always be useful and necessary," adds the president of CASEL.
To meet the training and certification needs of companies in the industry, ALAS has for its partners a complete portfolio of courses that includes: ALARMS 1, ALARMS 2, ACCESS CONTROL, PACS (Advanced Access Control), CLOSED CIRCUIT OF T.V.1, CLOSED CIRCUIT OF T.V.2, FIRE DETECTION, PERIMETER SECURITY, INTEGRATION OF SECURITY SYSTEMS, PROJECT MANAGEMENT and for 2011 some more courses will be added to the portfolio and offer of the Association.
In recent years, the training of electronic security technicians and engineers in Latin America has become the flagship of the association. Until the end of 2010 about 5,500 people obtained international certification in many of the courses already mentioned.
Henry Silva, adds about the curos of the association: "I emphasize that any professional who wants to venture into the world of electronic security must be trained to obtain the tools that help him to be a specialist in the area. I can say three reasons that I consider important for the courses taught by ALAS to be taken:
1-Acquisition of knowledge in procedure and installation rules, which will help them to be a specialist in their area.
2-It will allow you to update yourself with new technologies, and in this way you will not be delayed with the accelerated advances of the same.
3-Curricular advantage with respect to other non-certified professionals, more and more companies are demanding the certification of a specialization from their future employees."
With all of the above, it is easier to identify why certifications are so important and why it is worth investing in the courses.
And something that is not far from the certifications are the diplomas or honorable mentions for participating in specialized industry forums.
That is why we reiterate the importance of managers, directors, owners, sales and marketing managers of companies that provide products and services, consultants and directors or heads of security, attend the ALAS Management Summit.
The second edition of this leaders' meeting will be held in Panama on August 18 and 19, 2011. The entire team of the association is working on logistics, speakers, conference topics, among many more details, to make this event at the height of its attendees and with excellent results.
So we're going to have an even better Management Summit than we did in Miami last year. Set aside the dates of August for the best management forum of the security industry that will be held in Latin America.
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