The Argenbright Academy

Behaviours
for success
at every level.

A learning hub built for the people of ASEL. Every programme maps directly to our four Cornerstones — and every Cornerstone is mapped to a recognised qualification pathway.

★ The Chairman's Scholarship
A month in Atlanta. A year of mentoring. A lifetime in the network.

One outstanding ASEL employee, every year. Fully funded. Open to every role, every grade, every location. Applications close 30 April.

Discover the Scholarship →
Activity to win Customer is King Partnerships are positive Profit through people Behaviours for success Activity to win Customer is King Partnerships are positive Profit through people Behaviours for success
01 / Foundations

The four
Cornerstones

The Cornerstones are the behavioural pillars that define how we work, lead, and grow at ASEL. They sit at the heart of our Competency Standard and our Leadership Standard — and at the heart of every programme we run.

Cornerstone 01

Activity
to win

The drive to achieve, to innovate, and to keep our division one step ahead of the market.

  • Achieving Results
  • Innovation
  • Driving Action
  • Focus on Results
Cornerstone 02

Customer
is King

Putting the customer at the heart of everything we do — and influencing with integrity throughout.

  • Influencing
  • Customer Focus
  • Effective Planning
  • Communicating & Influencing
  • Leveraging Relationships
Cornerstone 03

Partnerships
are positive

Working together across ASEL — and with partner companies — in pursuit of shared goals.

  • Collaboration
  • Leading Partner Collaboration
  • Building Confidence
Cornerstone 04

Profit through
people

Realising the full potential of every employee through coaching, development and clear performance.

  • Working with People
  • Performance & Development
02 / Pathways

Fifteen programmes.
One framework.

Every Cornerstones programme is built around a single competency or leadership standard — and stacked to a recognised UK qualification pathway. From security operative to senior leader, there is a route for everyone.

AW-101

Delivering Results with Purpose

Competency 1 day
CK-102

Customer Focus — Putting the Customer at the Heart

Competency 1 day
PT-201

Performance and Development — Coaching for Growth

Leadership 3 days + 6-month cohort
AW-201

Driving Action — Leading a 'Can-Do' Culture

Leadership 2 days + peer coaching
CK-201

Communicating with Clarity, Impact and Passion

Leadership 2 days
PP-101

Collaboration Across ASEL

Competency 1 day
Programmes

Fifteen programmes,
two tiers, four Cornerstones.

Every programme is designed around a single competency or leadership standard. Use the filters to find the right pathway for you — by Cornerstone or by tier.

Cornerstone:
Tier:
03 / Qualifications

Every programme
stacks.

The full course catalogue maps every Cornerstones programme to a recognised UK qualification — CIPD, CMI, ILM, APM, AAT, and the IfATE apprenticeship standards. Speak to the Academy for the right pathway for you.

An annual investment
in one outstanding
ASEL employee.

"
There is no investment that pays back like investing in one outstanding person. Whether you have been with us for one year or twenty, whether you stand on a gate at midnight or sit in a boardroom at noon — this is for you.
— The Chairman, Argenbright Security Europe Limited
01 / The Award

What the scholar
receives.

The Chairman's Scholarship is a substantial investment by the Group in one individual. Every element of the award is funded directly by the Chairman's office — there is no cost to the scholar.

01 · Recognition Publicly announced
Presented by the Chairman at the annual ASEL conference. A certificate of award signed personally by the Chairman, a bespoke lapel pin, and a permanent listing on the Chairman's Scholars Roll of Honour at ASEL HQ.
September Annual conference
02 · Atlanta The exchange month
Four consecutive weeks at the Argenbright Group headquarters in Atlanta. Business-class travel, single-occupancy serviced apartment, daily subsistence, dedicated host, and a bespoke programme covering all four Cornerstones — see the week-by-week schedule below.
Oct – Feb 4 consecutive weeks
03 · Qualification Sponsored study
Funded enrolment on one approved external qualification at the appropriate level — CIPD, CMI, ILM, APM, AAT, ISP or equivalent — with tuition fees, professional body membership and study leave all included.
12 months Following Atlanta
04 · Mentor Executive partnership
A 12-month executive mentor drawn from the senior leadership of ASEL or the Argenbright Group, with monthly mentoring sessions and a sponsored stretch project agreed at the start of the year.
12 months Of monthly sessions
05 · Alumni For life
Lifelong membership of the Chairman's Scholars alumni network — twice-yearly dinners, a rotating seat on next year's Selection Panel, and priority access to stretch assignments and senior secondments.
For life Network membership
02 / Atlanta

Four weeks,
one per Cornerstone.

The Atlanta exchange is bespoke to each scholar's personal development plan, but the underlying structure is the same: one week given the lead focus of each Cornerstone, exposure to senior leaders on both sides of the Atlantic, and a final proposal back to the Argenbright leadership team.

Week 1
Activity to win

Operations and the customer floor

  • Induction with senior leadership
  • Shadow days with operations function
  • Customer site visits to flagship accounts
  • Observation of Atlanta's leadership huddle
Week 2
Customer is King

Client management at scale

  • Embedded with client services for a week
  • Observation of new business pitch
  • Customer journey comparison UK ↔ US
  • Scholar leads a 30-minute workshop
Week 3
Partnerships are positive

Alliances, partners & wider Group

  • Full Argenbright Group exposure
  • Strategic partner meetings
  • Cross-business shadowing
  • Draft UK–US collaboration proposal
Week 4
Profit through people

Leadership, culture & close-out

  • Time with HR & L&D leadership
  • 1:1 mentoring with executive team
  • Present collaboration proposal
  • Farewell dinner with Atlanta team
03 / Eligibility

Who can
apply?

The scholarship is deliberately open — outstanding behaviour exists at every level of ASEL, and the award is designed to recognise it wherever it is found.

Service

12+ months continuous service at ASEL

Role

Any role, any grade, any location

Standing

No live disciplinary or formal performance process

Travel

Able to spend 4 weeks in Atlanta (visa supported)

Applications open 01 March.

Submit your nomination via the application portal, with line-manager endorsement. Successful candidates announced at the September annual conference.

Apply

Begin your nomination.

Self-nomination and line-manager nomination are weighted equally. Confidentiality is absolute. The Academy faculty runs a monthly drop-in clinic for anyone who would like support with their application.

Four steps to apply.

The process is the same whether you nominate yourself or a colleague.

  1. Download the form

    The application form is available on the Academy portal or by emailing scholarship@asel.co.uk.

  2. Write your application

    A 500-word personal statement, four 250-word Cornerstones examples, line-manager endorsement, and a 250-word statement of intent for the Atlanta exchange.

  3. Submit by 30 April

    Submit by email to scholarship@asel.co.uk with line-manager endorsement attached. Acknowledgement within 5 working days.

  4. Keep going

    Selection takes time. While you wait, keep doing what got you nominated — and tell the Academy if there are further Cornerstones courses you would like to take.

Express interest

A short form for anyone considering applying for this year's award. Information used solely by the Academy to support your application — never shared with the Selection Panel.

Optional — but it helps us route your enquiry.

Thank you.

Your expression of interest has been received. A member of the Academy faculty will be in touch within 5 working days. In the meantime, the formal application form is available at scholarship@asel.co.uk.

About

A learning hub
built for the people of ASEL.

The Argenbright Academy was founded with a clear vision: to serve as a transformative hub for personal and professional growth within ASEL. Every programme is anchored in our Cornerstones — the behaviours that define how we work, lead, and grow.

— Mission

To empower
our people.

The Argenbright Academy exists to equip every ASEL employee with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to excel in a rapidly changing world. We offer industry-leading training programmes, partner with recognised awarding bodies, and create a culture of lifelong learning so that our team meets challenges head-on and exceeds expectations.

The Academy serves the whole workforce — from security operatives to senior leaders — with development pathways that scale with each person's ambition. Every course in our catalogue maps to one of the four Cornerstones, and every Cornerstone can be stacked toward a recognised qualification.

— Vision

A beacon
of excellence.

Our vision is to cultivate a workforce that is prepared for the future — ready to adapt, innovate and lead; engaged and empowered — confident in their abilities and aligned with our Cornerstones; and driven by excellence — dedicated to delivering unparalleled value to clients and setting new benchmarks for operational success.

Through The Argenbright Academy, we aim not only to uplift our team but to reinforce ASEL's position as a trusted leader in the industry, setting the standard for innovation, quality, and service.

— Faculty

Meet the
faculty team.

Lisa Field
Director of People · Faculty Patron

Twenty-plus years of HR leadership, with a track record of building high-performing teams, implementing leadership development programmes, and navigating complex organisational change. Lisa is the Academy's executive sponsor and the visible champion of the Cornerstones across the Group.

Ishara Andrew
HR Business Partner · Faculty Member

Strategic HR Business Partner with deep expertise in talent acquisition, employee relations, and organisational development. Ishara plays a central role in supporting ASEL's HR strategy and connecting Academy programmes to live appraisal conversations.