Meet Our Training Team
Experienced professionals bringing real-world expertise to every course.
Senior Training Team
Rob Knowles – Managing Director & Head of Training
Rob Knowles is the founder, owner and Managing Director of Skills for Jobs Ltd and the developer of Shield Physical Intervention (ShieldPI). He brings over 25 years of experience across operational security, professional training and specialist consultancy, leading the business while remaining actively involved in course development and delivery.
His background as a Door Supervisor and Head Door Supervisor gives him direct experience of leading security teams, managing conflict and making decisions under pressure. This operational grounding shapes the programmes he develops and the practical guidance he provides to clients, learners and instructors.
Rob has built and led specialist training businesses, developed accredited physical intervention programmes and trained other instructors to deliver them. In 2010, he established Aegis Skills Ltd, developing its Physical Intervention programme and associated Level 3 Train the Trainer programme. He later developed ShieldPI, creating the training methodology, instructor resources and assessment materials.
His professional experience also includes providing witness evidence and specialist advice on the use of force, restraint and physical intervention by security personnel. Alongside more than 30 years of martial arts experience and qualifications as a martial arts coach, this supports his emphasis on sound judgement, proportionate responses and practical skills.
At Skills for Jobs, Rob sets the direction for training quality and delivery across security qualifications, physical intervention, first aid and bespoke corporate programmes. He continues to teach learners and develop instructors, combining leadership with a practical commitment to training that prepares people for the realities of their roles.
Eddie Sidaway – Head of Training Development & Consultancy
Eddie brings nearly 30 years of security industry experience to his role, combining frontline operations, security management and close protection with extensive expertise in specialist training and consultancy. His operational background includes managing security at Selfridges Birmingham through Lodge Security and providing close protection for celebrities and sports personalities in the UK.
As Head of Training Development & Consultancy at Skills for Jobs, Eddie draws on this experience to design and deliver practical training for organisations operating in challenging and potentially high-risk environments. His focus is on managing conflict, reducing risk and protecting staff through proportionate and legally defensible approaches.
His career includes responsibility for security teams, guarding contracts, operational planning and staff development. This gives him a practical understanding of the pressures facing frontline personnel and the responsibilities of those managing them, bringing operational credibility to the advice and training he delivers.
A Member of the Security Institute (MSyI), Eddie has more than 15 years of accredited training experience. He is also a registered Internal Quality Assurer (IQA) for Skills for Jobs, supporting training standards, assessment quality and continuous improvement.
Eddie develops bespoke corporate programmes in conflict management, personal safety and physical intervention. He works closely with clients to identify training needs and uses realistic scenarios to develop effective communication, risk awareness and sound decision-making.
His delivery connects specialist knowledge with operational experience, helping staff build the confidence and judgement to handle challenging situations safely, lawfully and professionally.
Allan Price – Senior Training Instructor
Allan brings over 30 years of operational and management experience to Skills for Jobs, combining an extensive background in the security industry with specialist expertise in emergency medical response, physical intervention and professional training.
Beginning his career in 1993, Allan progressed through senior security, services management and health and safety roles, working with major UK organisations and large-scale public venues. This experience has given him a comprehensive understanding of operational risk, public safety, incident management and the challenges faced by professionals working in demanding environments.
With more than 15 years of experience as a professional trainer, Allan has developed a reputation for delivering practical, engaging and realistic training. His expertise spans security operations, conflict management, physical intervention, first aid and emergency care. He is also one of a select group of specialist instructors licensed to deliver the ShieldPI physical intervention model, drawing on his extensive background in martial arts and combatives to ensure training is both effective and legally defensible.
Alongside his training responsibilities, Allan remains operationally active as an SIA-licensed Door Supervisor and event medic at major events across the UK. He holds Level 3 and Level 4 First Response Emergency Care (FREC) qualifications and is currently working towards his Level 5 Diploma, further developing his expertise in pre-hospital emergency care.
Allan’s strength lies in his ability to bring together operational security, medical response and real-world experience. His approachable, hands-on teaching style enables learners to develop the knowledge, practical skills and confidence needed to respond effectively when it matters most.
Alan Ellis - Instructor
Alan began his career as a Field Medic in HM Forces, a foundation of frontline experience that has informed his entire civilian career. Since 2000, he has held diverse roles across the security sector, from loss prevention to spectator safety, ultimately specialising in high-pressure event operations. For the past seven years, Alan has managed the CCTV Control Centre at Twickenham RFU as part of the Rapid Response Team. A significant professional accolade includes his deployment within the CCTV Control Room for the King’s Coronation—a testament to his expertise in large-scale, high-security command and control.
As a dual-professional trainer and operative, Alan translates his vast experience into accredited qualifications. His specialisms include SIA CCTV Operations, Physical Intervention, and bespoke Control Tactics for Rapid Response Teams. Deeply committed to emergency care, Alan has served as a Community First Responder for the South Central Ambulance Service since 2017. His medical background is further enhanced by his work as a COVID-19 vaccinator and a specialist focus on Mental Health First Aid. Alan continues to work operationally as a Medic, providing First Responder cover for major events throughout the UK, ensuring his training remains grounded in current best practices.
Alan 'Sid' Sidders - Instructor
Alan (Sid) Sidders has over 25 years’ experience in conflict management and training others in how to deal with aggression and challenging behaviour. Much of that time has been spent working as an operational door supervisor, and the last 9 years has seen Sid working for Marc–One Security as the Sussex area manager. Both an accomplished security operative and security instructor, Sid’s vast experience spans security guarding, cash collection, mental health environments, residential homes, secure units, acute community settings, enforcement and repossession roles.
Gaining a PTTLS Level 4 teaching qualification in 2011, Sid has been an active instructor teaching professionals and delivering ‘Train the Trainer’ type courses ever since. Sid has designed, implemented and delivered training courses based around Performance and Image Enhancing Drugs (steroids), has co-designed alongside NHS trainers, courses relevant to substance misuse, Blood Borne Viruses, Domestic and Sexual Violence, and has also developed and hosted specialist workshops on harm reduction, Cannabis, Crack and Client Outreach in the community. Sid has attended NHS training in conflict management and disengagement using the ICM model and been training with Rob Knowles (SfJ) since 2012, teaching the level 1 (SIA) Course and advanced level 2.
Sid is a regular at his local gym, strength training and power lifting, and is also an exponent of the martial arts, Kick Boxing, Western Boxing, Kung Fu, Karate, and regularly trains in Jujitsu.
Tommy Tucker - Instructor
Tommy has extensive first aid, security and health and safety experience gained in the military as well as his working life afterwards. Following 24 years in the army with numerous operational tours of Northern Ireland, 6 years in Germany, 27 months in Oman, 4 months exchange in Sydney, Australia, 3 months in Norway, and also time spent in Denmark and Cyprus, as well as 15 years security experience in guarding, door supervision and CCTV, progressing to teaching those skills to others was a natural move for Tommy.
In the classroom, Tommy’s delivery style is informal, stimulating and fun, whilst instilling the severity of the subject matter being taught. He is passionate about providing people with the knowledge, skills and confidence to help in an emergency, stay safe and deal with challenges they may face in the workplace, and consistently receives excellent feedback from students and others. Despite Tommy’s already vast knowledge of the security industry, he keeps up-to-date with his areas of expertise through annual CPD so as students always benefit from the most up-to-date skills and techniques. Tommy has been a Security instructor, Alcohol licence instructor, and Conflict management instructor, since 2004, a First Aid instructor and Physical intervention instructor since 2011, and Health and Safety instructor since 2014.
Tommy’s past leisure activities included football at divisional and corps level providing him with experience in dealing with sports injuries, although golf is his current pastime.
Maurice Hines - Instructor
Maurice has over 16 years’ experience delivering training courses and conference workshops across the UK. A specialist on issues of equality, inclusion, conflict resolution, behaviour management and Safeguarding (children and adults), Maurice has delivered subject specific training to care sector staff, child-care and early years practitioners, front-line staff, sports leaders, and professional football clubs, amongst many others.
With an extensive knowledge of working within the private security industry, Maurice combines his training expertise with operational knowledge informed primarily by years working as a door supervisor at licensed venues and events to inform his delivery of a range of Security Industry Authority (SIA) licensed linked training courses.
Maurice is also a qualified First Aid Instructor.
Carl Sonnen - Instructor
Highly experienced when dealing with matters of security and safety, Carl has over 20 years operational knowledge to his credit. Working in various public facing, customer service and security roles, Carl brings his knowledge of conflict resolution and experience dealing with emotional and highly agitated customers to the classroom.
Having a thirst for personal and professional development, Carl is continually expanding his knowledge of both techniques and case law surrounding conflict management and physical intervention topics. He sets high standards for himself and of his students and is passionate about empowering them to achieve their goals.
Having worked as Head of Security/Operations Executive for a major crowd management company, team supervisor, SIA Door Supervisor, self-defence and martial arts instructor, Carl has a wealth of real-world experience dealing with people, as such he’s keen to nurture a collaborative classroom environment that demonstrates inclusion and respect.