Security is a huge industry in the UK and across the world, with many thousands of highly trained professionals committed to protecting people, property, and valuable assets from harm.
Public sector, private security, cyber security, canine assisted security, there are industries within industries in the security world and if you are looking for a career you have plenty of options available to you.
In this blog we will look at just a few of the most popular security roles that are in high demand right now, as well as giving you some important information on what these roles look like on a daily basis and how one goes about pursuing each career.
Security Guard
Perhaps the most well known job in the security industry is that of the security guard. These highly trained professionals have been keeping us all safe for many decades, long before the emergence of CCTV and other security technologies.
They are just as important today as they ever have been and can be found in shops, shopping malls, hotels, and many more places across the nation.
In order to become a security guard you must first acquire an SIA licence, something that requires extensive training on skills such as conflict management and first aid. Everyday is different for Prime Secure security guards and your duties may involve anything from giving directions to visitors to taking down intruders and overseeing emergency evacuations.
Police Officers
Not technically within the security sector but the roles do overlap significantly. Police officers will often work alongside security guards and other security professionals on this list to find criminals and to keep the public safe.
Your best bet if you wish to become a police officer is to visit the police officer section of the Government website, or the Police Scotland website if you live north of the border.
Airport Security
Airport security officers often have the same or similar duties to a standard police officer but are in a position of additional responsibility given the risks in play.
Airport security will often have to go through additional training programmes covering things like working alongside security dogs and operating airport specific technologies such as scanners.
Waking Watch Officers
Waking Watch Officers are more fire marshal than security guard and are deployed on high-rise properties thought to be at high risk of fire.
The role was introduced after the devastating Grenfell Tower fire and is designed as a fast way to identify fire in high-rise properties until the flammable cladding found on the exterior has been replaced or an inspection has deemed the building safe.
Waking watch is far from ideal due to the amount that it costs the residents or property management but it is an effective short term way to keep people safe. Whenever possible, waking watch officers should be replaced by a common fire alarm. IN an ideal world, waking watch officer would not be a role at all, but with no sign of widescale remedial action coming soon, there is no sign that these experts will be disappearing soon.
