Central station managers going to Las Vegas for the upcoming ISC West can also earn certification as trainers. The recently-revised SIA-APCO Central Station Operator Instructor (Train the Trainer) Course is scheduled for March 25-28 at the Tuscany Suites and Casino in Las Vegas, with additional sessions throughout the year.

The course, offered by Central Station University (CSU), was substantially edited and updated to reflect changes in the industry since its introduction over a decade ago. “Central station technologies and procedures evolve constantly with the needs of our customers,” CSU president Dera DeRoche-Jolet explained in discussing the revision. “We wanted to make sure the class reflects what current operator-trainees need to know.”

For more than a decade, the Train the Trainer course has taught central station managers to build a standardized hiring and training program. Graduates of the program are certified to teach the SIA-APCO Central Station Operator Course. Revisions in the Operator Course cover newer types of monitored systems, techniques for false alarm reduction, more detailed explanation of alarm signal formats, and an expanded discussion of customer service. The entire Operator Course has been edited to give trainees a clearer path from the most basic topics to the most advanced.

CSU is beginning its first full year offering the SIA-APCO Central Station Courses after partnering with SIA to take over management of the courses which SIA introduced in 1996. “We are proud to continue our partnership with Central Station University,” said SIA’s director of education Arminda Valles-Hall.

For those unable to take the Las Vegas course, a second session is scheduled for June in Orlando and additional classes will be taught later in the year. For information, visit www.thecsu.org.