Summer break is most commonly associated with schools, colleges, and universities. For these organizations, the months between academic years often bring a noticeable shift in schedules and workloads.
Similar patterns can also occur in other industries:
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Educational service providers, school transportation contractors, tutoring companies, and educational technology vendors
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Architecture, engineering, consulting, accounting, and legal firms between major project cycles or deadlines
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Ski resorts, winter recreation businesses, snow removal companies, and winter equipment suppliers
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Organizations that align operations with school calendars, including certain nonprofits, community programs, and public-sector departments
For these organizations, summer can provide valuable time to focus on projects that are harder to schedule during busier periods of the year. Security training is one of them.
For our Michigan clients, whether your organization relies on internal security personnel or external commercial security services, SHIELD recommends using the summer months to strengthen security preparedness whenever possible.
In this blog, we’ll discuss how to incorporate training programs into summer schedules, the challenges organizations may encounter in planning, and which security training programs may provide the greatest value during this period.
How to Incorporate Security Training Into Summer Schedules
A successful summer training program starts long before the first session takes place. Organizations should build the schedule around business operations, employee availability, and the goals of the training itself.
1. Identify Which Employees Need Training
Not every program should involve the entire organization.
For example, workplace violence prevention training may involve all employees, while behavioral threat assessment training is often more relevant for HR personnel, supervisors, managers, and leadership teams.
Defining the audience first helps determine the size and structure of the program.
2. Review Vacation and PTO Schedules
Summer training plans should account for employee absences. Key decision-makers, department managers, and subject-matter experts may already have approved vacation time.
Identifying scheduling conflicts early can prevent the need to repeat sessions later.
3. Decide Between One Session or Multiple Sessions
Some organizations can gather everyone at the same time. Others may need separate sessions for different departments, office locations, or employee groups.
If employees work in different locations, follow different schedules, or have different responsibilities, multiple training sessions may be more practical than gathering everyone at once.
4. Select the Right Training Environment
The location should support the training objectives.
Policy discussions and behavioral threat assessment training are typically conducted in conference rooms or classrooms. De-escalation exercises often benefit from larger spaces that allow participants to practice scenarios. Critical incident response training may be most effective in the actual environment where employees work.
5. Schedule Training Before Fall Workloads Return
Training should leave enough time for follow-up actions.
Organizations frequently discover policy updates, communication gaps, reporting issues, or procedural improvements during security training. Completing training before activity increases gives leadership teams time to address those findings.
6. Use the Results to Improve Procedures
The training session should not be the final step.
Questions raised during exercises, tabletop discussions, and employee feedback can help organizations strengthen procedures, improve communication, and identify areas that require additional attention before the end of the year.
What Security Training Programs Work Best During Summer Break
Different security training programs serve different purposes. Summer can provide time to conduct longer sessions, practical exercises, and leadership discussions that are difficult to schedule during busier periods of the year.
Workplace Violence Prevention Training
Purpose:
Help employees recognize warning signs, understand reporting procedures, and respond appropriately to concerning behavior.
Recommended for:
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Office-based organizations
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Professional service firms
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Educational service providers
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Public-sector organizations
Who should attend:
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Employees
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Supervisors
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Managers
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HR personnel
Best location:
Conference rooms, meeting spaces, and training centers. Since the training focuses on policies, reporting procedures, and discussion, a classroom-style environment usually works best.
De-Escalation Training
Purpose:
Teach employees how to reduce tension, manage difficult conversations, and prevent conflicts from escalating.
Recommended for:
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Customer-facing businesses
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Public-sector organizations
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Educational service providers
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Organizations with frequent visitor interaction
Who should attend:
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Reception staff
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Customer service employees
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Supervisors
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Managers
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Security personnel
Best location:
Conference rooms and training facilities remain effective options, but summer also creates opportunities to conduct exercises during company retreats, team-building events, or outdoor gatherings. The additional space can make role-playing scenarios easier to organize.
Critical Incident Response Training
Purpose:
Prepare employees to respond during active threats, medical emergencies, severe weather events, and other critical incidents.
Recommended for:
Any organization with employees, facilities, or public-facing operations.
Who should attend:
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Leadership teams
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Supervisors
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Facilities personnel
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Security personnel
Best location:
The actual workplace whenever possible. Summer schedules may allow organizations to conduct walkthroughs, discuss emergency procedures, and evaluate response expectations with fewer operational disruptions.
Behavioral Threat Assessment Training
Purpose:
Help organizations identify concerning behavior before it develops into a larger workplace issue.
Recommended for:
Organizations responsible for employee safety, visitor safety, or public interaction.
Who should attend:
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HR personnel
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Managers
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Supervisors
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Executive leadership
Best location:
Conference rooms, boardrooms, and other meeting spaces where participants can focus on case studies, reporting processes, and decision-making discussions.
Tabletop Exercises
Purpose:
Allow leadership teams to work through realistic security scenarios and discuss decision-making responsibilities.
Recommended for:
Organizations with multiple departments involved in emergency response or crisis management.
Who should attend:
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Executive leadership
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Operations leaders
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HR personnel
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Facilities personnel
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Security personnel
Best location:
Conference rooms, retreat venues, hotel meeting spaces, or off-site planning sessions. Summer can make it easier to bring leadership teams together for extended discussions without competing with the demands of normal operations.
Conclusion
Using summer as an opportunity to strengthen employee preparedness while workloads are lighter can help organizations build a stronger security culture throughout the year. High-performing security leaders understand that training is most effective when employees have the time and attention to fully engage with it.
SHIELD provides commercial security services and security training programs for organizations across Michigan. If you’re looking for a partner who can help strengthen workplace security while supporting efficient business operations, contact SHIELD today.