To apply for a security guard licence you will first need to complete a security guard training course which is available through a number of reputable training providers throughout the country. The SIA-Licence.org.uk website displays a number of advertised training providers who all offer fantastic levels of training across all levels of security guard disciplines. Whether you are looking to become a retail security guard or possible a static security guard. The training you receive can be tailored to suit the type of security guard training you desire.

The security guard training course usually consists of classroom based studying and an examination to test your knowledge. These courses can cost between £100-£150 however once this is completed you will never have to retrain again unless you want to move onto a further level within the security sector.

If you are successful and pass your security examination then you will be ready to apply for your security guard licence or more commonly known the sia licence. You will have to do this within a three year period of passing your security guard training course or it will become invalid. The cost of the licence is £245 which covers you to work across any security discipline and is valid for three years. After three years you will have to reapply for the licence. The SIA is currently going through changes however and may change into a different security organisation. The cost of reinstating your licence may drop however at the moment it’s still £245 every three years.

This application process can take anything between 7 and 28 days. Once you have been successful in your licence application you will be fully eligible to become a security guard. This licence must be displayed at all times when working and it will be essential for acquiring new employment within the security sector.

There is however the requirement of the British government that everybody working within the security sector MUST have the right training and a valid SIA Licence. Before we get into how to secure training and an SIA licence lets refresh the type of work which is involved in security guarding.

Your main job role as a security guard is to provide a safety for your employer’s clients. If you are working on the gate of a large organisation then the employee’s of that organisation rely on your as the security guard to make them safe when they come to work. Whether this is regular nightly patrols or manning the gate during the day the job you take as a security guard gives employee’s within a company peace of mind that they will be looked after everytime they go to work.

As a security guard you may also have to monitor the security cameras, check the health and safety is intact and essentially support the well being of all who work within the company.

The importance of a security guard is sometimes understated as they are vital to keeping the business safe. Key characteristics which make a fantastic security guard are bravery, physical attributes, great people skills and the ability to act on your feet. There will be situations where you have to make a decision based upon the dilemma in front of you and it’s up to you to make the right decision, the decision which is ultimately best for the organisation and its employee’s.

Securing an SIA Licence:
If you want to become a general security guard on office premises then you will require a front line SIA licence. The front line aspect of the license refers to the fact you will actually be involved in day to day security work.

Before you apply for your SIA Licence you will be required to partake in some type of training which will award you with a security guard certificate. The following courses are accepted by the SIA:

1. Level 2 Award in security guarding

2. Nation certificate for security guards (Scotland)

3. City and guilds certificate of security guarding (Scotland)

4. BTEC Award in security operations (Scotland)

5. Certificate for security guards in Scotland

6. NOCN Award in security guarding (Scotland)

7. National Progression Award in Security Operations: Security Guarding (Scotland)

There are a number of qualifications you can use within Scotland however within the UK the level 2 award in security guarding is the award which is used by all governing bodies.

To acquire this award you will have to join a security guard training course. Throughout this website there is a number of advertised training providers who all offer competitive levels of training for all aspects of security guarding. As a starting point it is strongly recommended you enrol on one of these courses. Failing that you will not be able to work in security guarding.

Following successful completion of the security guard course you will be able to apply for your SIA Licence. Make sure you do this within three years of completing your security guard course. It will cost approximately £245 for the SIA licence and anywhere between £100-£150 for the security guard training. Pitting this against University fee’s it’s a very small price to pay for becoming fully qualified.

Once you have had your SIA Licence successfully processed then you will be ready to become a security guard. Becoming a security guard is relatively straight forward. From enrolling and successfully completing a training course you can realistically be ready to take up employment in 28 days.

:  Front line Security Guards

: Public space surveillance

Shop floor Security Guards:

Front line security guards who work within the retail sector are those who typically work in and around the store. You may see them predominantly on the front door of the shop near the security checkers. These security guards will make sure the safety of those within the store is intact at all times as well as the safety of the staff and the products within the store.

The front line security guards are within their right to make citizens arrests on any customers who are not acting within the terms and conditions of the store. This may be due to foul and abusive language or general shop lifting. The front line security are paid to react to these situations in the best way possible, putting the stores integrity, staff and customers first at all times.

All this will be caught to you within your security guard training course. You can locate a reputable training provider through the advertisements situated on the SIA Licence website.

The duties of a retail security guard include patrolling and monitoring the activity within the store. Your role will simply be to protect the customers & staff, making sure the store is safe and secure in the process.

There are opportunities for progression open to those wanting to be a retail security guard. As large chains have numerous levels of security you could become head of security and command all the benefits which come with working for a large organisation. Further more you can venture outside the retail sector and look at other levels of security. There really is a number of levels of progression involved with security guarding within the retail sector.

CCTV Operation:
Public space surveillance is also predominantly used within the retail sector as a means of monitoring activity within a store. To become a fully qualified Public space surveillance operator you will require a front line SIA Licence. This can be acquired through the varied training providers located through the SIA Licence website.

Your job role as a cctv operator within the retail sector will be similar to that of the shop floor retail security guard other than you will be operating the CCTV cameras and monitoring the cameras throughout the store. There job will involve protecting the store, its staff and the customers who use the store. Theft will continuously be monitored through CCTV cameras.

Those looking to become a CCTV operator within a retail store will need to have great reactions, patience and stunning eye sight, whether aided by glasses or not.

Becoming a retail security guard is a great starting point for those wanting to make a career within the security industry. With retail security becoming even more important day by day the amount of retail related security jobs remain strong. To apply for a job today you will need to acquire your front line SIA licence. One this is successfully completed you will be able to apply for a job as a retail security guard in one of the well known high street stores.

There are however opportunities overseas and within the armed forces for you to work as an armed security guard. Merchant ships commonly used people from the armed forces as a way of security against unwanted visitors onto the ship. Recently there has been an upsurge in pirate activity which has seen both the Navy and the army used as deterrents to these pirates. They are also there to safeguard the stock of the merchant ship and those who work on the ship too.

Of course if you are interested in this type of armed security then enquiries to the armed forces, whether that’s the Royal Navy or the Army may be worthwhile to check whether you can join the forces just to be armed security.

You may also want to look at Non UK locations to further your career as an armed guard. Cruise ships typically have armed guards on board too which again is another way to get into the armed security guards industry. These armed guards are used to protect the cruise ship, its staff and of course those travelling on the cruise ship. Again you may want to venture overseas (most notably the US) to become prominent within the armed security industry.

There are options open to you its just finding the right place or even the right country to fulfil this career aspiration. For more information and help in becoming an armed guard you may want to speak with the advertised security companies throughout this website who will provide further information on this career choice.

Private Security personnel are typically given a set of company rules of which they adhere to and follow to protect the property, the individuals who work within the organisation and those who enter and leave the organisation on a daily basis. It is up to the security personnel to make sure all this is followed and the company rules smoothly without any distractions or problems.

The role of a private security guard has become even more critical in the past 4 years with the threat of terrorism increasing year on year. This has meant companies have decided to tighten up the security especially in places where large amounts of people work. Although this threat strikes fear in the nation it does increase the amount of jobs within the security sector for those looking for work as a private security guard.

The role of private security guard is seen as one with a high level of trust by the owners of any organisation you work for as you will more than likely be the only person/people working after hours. This means private security guards have to follow the company legislation set and safeguard the business with integrity. In some situations they may also have to use their own judgement of how to deal with a situation. Of course most situations and how to deal with them will already be documented with the job however in some occurrences private security guards will use their own judgement to bring about a successful conclusion.

Private security guards like commercial security guards also need to apply for an SIA Licence. Even though they work privately it is still the UK law that they hold a valid SIA license which also has to be updated every 3 years. You can acquire your SIA licence by successfully completed a SIA training course using one of our advertised security guard training companies throughout the website.

For the most part static security guards have a relatively smooth job with the threat of intruders on most organisations very low. The presence of security in the beginning prevents this from occurring. Although an intruder is one part of the job it happens to be the smallest aspect of the job despite many misconceptions when it comes to static security guards.

Static security guards perform security patrols for a number of reasons. Most if not all properties have a risk of fire or flood and this is one of the main responsibilities. Checking to see that everything is working in fine working condition, particularly overnight. Further to this the prevention of accidents is another key component of a static security guards job. They need to make sure everything is in working order and there is no immediate threat of an accident. Of course if there are any threats then it’s their responsibility to report this potential accident to the emergency services.

Essentially the job of static security guards is to safeguard the business, its property and the people who work within the organisation to enable the business to run smoothly without any interruptions. Like any level of security guard you will require an SIA Licence.

To acquire an SIA licence you need to first partake on security guard training which can be issued by any of the recommended training providers on the SIA Licence website. Any job opening you apply for will require you have successfully completed your training and gained the SIA badge. You will not be able to take any role within any organisation without this badge.

So far approximately £60 million has been spent on Olympic-related security issues from its £600 million budget. Further to this there is also a security contingency fund of approximately £230 million which will only be used if the threat of terror is increased.

With the potential terror threat and the need to keep both the spectators and the athlete’s safe the UK government are actively looking for security staff to help out at the Olympics. Those most needed are security guards or those who have worked within the security sector before. With this huge increase in need for security staff there are a high number of security job vacancies available for the Olympic games next year.

All those who want to work within the Olympic Games must have a valid SIA licence. This is a mandatory requirement if you want to work as part of the Olympic Games staff.

For more information on jobs working at the Olympics as a security staff member of details around securing an SIA licence so you can take up the role then please browse the available resources throughout the site for more details. The Olympics is a once in a lifetime event which you may only once have the opportunity to work for. Take advantage of this opportunity and apply for your license today.

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Of course, the aisle itself will be lined by members of the armed forces. Stood to attention, young men and women from the Army, Navy and the Royal Air Force will be on hand to welcome the royal couple, and dismiss any unwanted attention. However, escorting the bride and groom will not be all the security measures needed. This wedding is likely to attract more members of the general public than any royal wedding in history, and so the London Police Force will need to be ready and trained for any disruption that may occur.

However, that is just the wedding itself. With such a high-profile couple comes a high-profile events, and the weeks leading up to the wedding will involve even higher-profile parties and celebrations. Thursday the 28th is likely to be the date of the main pre-wedding party, and with a guest list that is rumoured to include Elton John and David Beckham, the security will need to be of the highest standard. This is where holders of security licenses will find hundreds of new jobs. For all of April, there will be a great need for Security Guards, Door Supervisors, Public Space Surveillance Guards, as well as fully qualified drivers and chaperones.

It won’t just be Kate and William that need protection; after the chaos of the student protests, Charles and Camilla will be given the best supervision possible, and the Queen will of course be surrounded by guards of the highest caliber. There will be hundreds of jobs available in the wedding season, particularly for anyone holding an SIA Physical Intervention license.

This event will be witnessed live around the globe. The royal family will require an enormous work force to help the day run smoothly. It will not just be one day of madness, but a whole month of wedding fervor, and every move they make will be protected; if you have the relevant qualifications, perhaps you can be there to protect them

• Security Guarding
• Door Supervisor
• Close Protection
• Public space surveillance
• Key Holding
• Vehicle Immobiliser
• Cash and Valuables in Transit
• Manned Guarding

If you are looking to work in any of these areas then by law you require to train and apply for an SIA badge. The question is how do you apply and study the necessary material to receive your SIA Badge? There are three stages involved in obtaining this SIA Badge. They are as followed:

Step 1:
Book onto a training course. These are typically help right across the country and are easy to book onto. It is essential you receive this training as this will help you significantly when attempting to pass the SIA Badge exam. Without training you will struggle with the examination questions and this will go against you when trying to achieve the SIA Badge.

Step 2:
The next step is to put yourself forward for the SIA Badge exam. The exam is tailored towards the specific part of security you are looking to enter. For example: If you were looking to study ‘Door supervision’ then some of the modules will be tailored towards Door supervision so it’s essential you get the specialised training to pass this exam. There will be some similar modules however which are generic to the overall SIA Badge scheme. All modules should be successfully passed in order to qualify for your SIA Badge.

Step 3:
Following success in your training and SIA Badge exam you will be to send a firm application for the license you require. Make sure you send all the supporting documents and fill in the entire form.  Typically the processing of the SIA Badge license will take around 6 weeks. Following this you should receive your full SIA Badge through the post to the address you used on the application process.

When should I wear my badge?
By law the badge should be worn at all times when working. Failure to show the badge when asked can result in fine or the disqualification of the SIA licence. Make sure you wear the badge every time you leave the house to go to work.