Your Security & Resilience Blog

Author: Andy Thompson, Founder of Marshal. Many people espouse the concept of “purpose”. I have never thought about it too deeply until I began a business – choosing, instead, simply to follow paths I found interesting, adventurous and occasionally risky. Yet, I stumbled upon my “purpose” inadvertently when reviewing the underlying trends of my career. From gaining a Law degree with the lofty ambition of helping people receive “justice”, to Read more…

In this edition of our “Training Leaders” series, Andy Thompson visits Remote First Aid with Julian Woodall, Owner and Training Director, Medic Services International, a Health & Safety Training consultancy. What is the origin of Medic Services International? I served in the Royal Artillery from 1990 until 2005 and trained as a Medic. When I left, I set up a Medic Services International, which started off by providing first aid Read more…

Marshal’s Andy Thompson enters the highly specialized world of Marine Explosive Ordnance Disposal, and speaks with Andy Ward, Director of Strategy and Global Operations at EODEX Ltd, about the levels of training required at both the operator and the client level, as the energy industry proliferates offshore.    Tell us about EODEX Ltd? It’s a new company that was established in late 2017, so we’re pretty new to the UXO Read more…

Have a look at the “Careers” page on the websites of Project Services companies and you will see that they often state something along the lines of: “We are always on the lookout for… [insert whatever specialists, roles and skill sets they typically contract]. Please send us your CV/Resume to anonymous@…” So, as a job seeker, you send a CV / Resume and maybe a covering letter (into a black hole). If Read more…

When mobilising and delivering manpower-intensive projects in safety-regulated environments, the time, costs, and risks of sourcing and deploying a diverse workforce, particularly contractors, are compounded by the challenges of accessing ever increasing amounts of personal data – from CVs to qualifications, certifications, permits, licences, criminal record checks, passports, visas, insurance, training and medical records, and more. It is costing companies money, and opportunity, and exposing them to liability. Data is typically transmitted and Read more…

As we prepare to travel again, are we doing enough to ensure our workforce is sufficiently trained to mitigate the risks that may be encountered? Jim Lawrence, Director at Peregrine Risk Management, talks with Andy Thompson about launching Travel Risk Management training, behavioural change, and empowering people to think differently to reduce their risk exposure when traveling.  Who are Peregrine Risk Management? Peregrine Risk Management was established June 2019, so Read more…

In our inaugural “Training Leaders” series, Andy Thompson visits Erbil, Kurdistan, to speak with Charlie Mayne, Managing Director of VSC Security. We talk about bespoke training that enables organizations, and people, to operate with greater levels of confidence in the “complex environment” of Northern Iraq. Who are VSC and what Training Services do you provide for whom?  VSC has been operating in Iraq, primarily the Kurdistan region of Iraq, since Read more…

A corollary to connecting companies with qualified Safety, Security & Risk Management personnel is how those specialists become qualified in the first place, including the standards they work to, and the need for ongoing training and development. With overlapping objectives that help ensure people are sufficiently trained, qualified, and licensed to operate in their chosen field, our “Training Leaders” series sees us team up with leading companies and professionals in Read more…