A possible foray into security?

[Eski1991]

Spurred on slightly by a thread I read on here the other day I may well be changing my career direction slightly from what I do currently.

Has anyone any experience of working in the Security sector, for instance close protection work or private chauffeuring etc.

I realise that a lot of the work available may be standing in shop fronts or watching CCTV screens in a dark room, however any real experience (and earning potential) from those who do this for a living would be great.

Would an entry level position match my current sub 20k salary or better it, within a few months?

I am also anticipating that I will need some basic qualifications, although the little I have gleaned has come from doormen, so my memory of the conversation is groggy at best.

Any info would be appreciated.

[Fozziebear]

Basic security work will pay peanuts. Alls security work requires an SIA licence. Pm me for any other info for CP etc, what's your background?

[Eski1991]

Fozziebear said:

Basic security work will pay peanuts. Alls security work requires an SIA licence. Pm me for any other info for CP etc, what's your background?

Currently working in a aviation based role and have been for a while now, but I'm looking for a complete change and realise I'm lacking in experience, was aware of the SIA licence being mandatory but can't seem to find a huge amount more information that that, maybe I'm not looking in the right places. I'm only 22 so more than willing to retrain in a new industry.

There are a few companies near me that I will be contacting in due course, but anything further would be great.

[Fozziebear]

The SIA site will give you most of the info you need. To earn real money in the security industry you need to be in management or doing CP/Maritime work in hostile places, it's a very tight knit community.

[Eski1991]

Fozziebear said:

The SIA site will give you most of the info you need. To earn real money in the security industry you need to be in management or doing CP/Maritime work in hostile places, it's a very tight knit community.

Seemingly quite a few of the Maritime positions are looking for previous military experience, is that a usual prerequisite?

[petop]

Anything in a high risk environment (read getting shot) and working within a small team tends to go towards the ex-mil.
Also you spend long periods away and some civilians have never been away from family etc for longer than a lads holiday in Ibiza! Them and wives/Gf cant handle this and tend not to last long.

[Fozziebear]

Eski1991 said:

Fozziebear said:

The SIA site will give you most of the info you need. To earn real money in the security industry you need to be in management or doing CP/Maritime work in hostile places, it's a very tight knit community.

Seemingly quite a few of the Maritime positions are looking for previous military experience, is that a usual prerequisite?

Maritime security is mainly Royal Marines, CP is Military Police and former SF. Have you looked at aviation security?

[Eski1991]

petop said:

Anything in a high risk environment (read getting shot) and working within a small team tends to go towards the ex-mil.
Also you spend long periods away and some civilians have never been away from family etc for longer than a lads holiday in Ibiza! Them and wives/Gf cant handle this and tend not to last long.

Time away wouldn't be an issue as I seem to get bored staying in one place.

Ive really not looked a huge amount further than the sia website and a few companies that I know of locally purely because I'm struggling to find much information. The g4s site has been quite good but after the Olympic blunder?

Aviation security looks appealing and I could probably dig out some contacts and see what's available.

[Fozziebear]

Eski1991 said:

Time away wouldn't be an issue as I seem to get bored staying in one place.

Ive really not looked a huge amount further than the sia website and a few companies that I know of locally purely because I'm struggling to find much information. The g4s site has been quite good but after the Olympic blunder?

Aviation security looks appealing and I could probably dig out some contacts and see what's available.

What you have to think about is the guys that work in hostile areas need to know that you are up to the job, all the courses in the world won't prepare you mentally or skills wise for that. If you have no military experience you will find it very hard to break into that area, I got asked by a civilian friend to get him a contact for work, I declined as my personal reputation is valuable to me. Look further into aviation security, physical and CCTV.

[Eski1991]

Fozziebear said:

What you have to think about is the guys that work in hostile areas need to know that you are up to the job, all the courses in the world won't prepare you mentally or skills wise for that. If you have no military experience you will find it very hard to break into that area, I got asked by a civilian friend to get him a contact for work, I declined as my personal reputation is valuable to me. Look further into aviation security, physical and CCTV.

No I realise that ex military or people with that sort of background, which I'm guessing you are, are the kind of people they would employ, I wasn't really thinking about that sort of work (at least for the time being). Will definitely be looking into other areas as suggested though, although something of interest has cropped up this afternoon.

Thank you very much for the advice

[Fozziebear]

Eski1991 said:

No I realise that ex military or people with that sort of background, which I'm guessing you are, are the kind of people they would employ, I wasn't really thinking about that sort of work (at least for the time being). Will definitely be looking into other areas as suggested though, although something of interest has cropped up this afternoon.

Thank you very much for the advice

Feel free to contact me for any other questions, happy hunting!