Companies in the spotlightCatalyst Interactive: Training for the security industry
A conversation with Catalyst Interactive managing director Ken Kroeger; “What the public sees are the people on the front line, but its important to remember that putting those people on the frontline requires a fair bit of investment to their training. That’s were we come into play — to make sure that those people have the skills and the attitude they need to do their jobs”
Catalyst Interactive, based in Canberra, Australia, is an important player in the analysis, design, development and delivery of innovative learning and performance solutions geared toward the security, risk assessment, and crisis management markets. Founded in 1995, in 2008 Catalyst Interactive was acquired by Houston, Texas-based KBR, Inc. (formerly Kellogg Brown & Root).
HSNW: One of your focuses is on training security professionals. Can you elaborate?
Ken Kroeger: Let me provide some examples. We do simulation systems for risk handlers, we’ve got a major project for the Australian Customs Department which trains the frontline customs agents how to process passengers and assess risks at seaports and airports. We’ve done safe mail handling, which is being used by a number of companies as well as government agencies, the purpose of which is to make sure that anybody that comes into contact with an envelope or has to open an envelope, whether it’s somebody in the mail room or all the way up to the CEO, look for the signs that may put the company or the building at risk. We do a lot of security and awareness training and risk assessment and crisis management training for banks, financial institutions and corporations. We have clients in the military where we have developed innovative training solutions for programs such as the Joint Strike Fighter, Tiger Armed Reconnaissance and NH90 helicopters.
HSNW. This is a wide spectrum…
KK: What binds it together is that we use technology to deliver the training. We don’t have traditional trainers using up the classroom; instead we use computers or electronic media such as MP3’s, DVDs, CD and the Internet. Our tools are there wherever and whenever they are needed.
HSNW: And you focus on both the military and commercial sectors?
KK: Both, about evenly. We also do training for some of the civil companies in the security area. The rest of our work is for law enforcement, homeland security agencies as well as financial institutions and governmental departments.
For the first 4 or 5 years of our existence (from 1995) our focus was on the financial sector and though we did some security awareness and risk management work, most of our work was on sales and product training for financial institutions. In 2000, we started doing work for the civil aviation sector, which led to the defense secretary, which led to more security related work over the last years.
We have expanded our offer to a broader group
