LOOKING for a secure job? Then sign up as a security officer.
Love Island finalist Shaq Muhammad is one of a new generation of security staff reshaping the industry’s image and making it a more inclusive workplace.
Denise Phillips at work in Bolton
Shaq Muhammad is one of a new generation of security staff reshaping the industry’s image
There is a huge demand for staff as the Government’s Protect Duty consultation, launched in the wake of the 2017 Manchester Arena terrorist bombing, will create a legal requirement for organisations to provide proportionate security measures.
As a result, the British Security Industry Association hopes to recruit more than 60,000 officers this year.
With almost 300,000 security companies across the UK and nearly 400,000 qualified Security Industry Authority licence holders, roles vary considerably in working environment and hours.
They include door supervision, manned guarding, CCTV surveillance, airport security, close protection, security systems installers and concierge services.
Denise Phillips, 44, is a security officer for the Westgrove Group, working at Bolton’s Market Place Shopping Centre.
She has worked in the industry for 24 years and won the Women in Security Awards Front Line Category in 2021. She said: “People might think that working as a security officer is just sitting in a chair and looking at a monitor, but it’s so much more varied and interesting than that.
“It’s great career for someone who enjoys being out and about, working with the public, helping people and taking care of their safety.
“It can be a high-pressure role and you need to be vigilant at all times.
“To anyone thinking about a career in security, I’d say give it a go. It’s flexible, pay and benefits are good, there are opportunities to progress and it’s very rewarding.”
Starting salaries average £24,000, rising to £32,000, with quick progression to senior roles.
Figures show UK security officers come from 195 nations and one in ten are female.
The industry was worth £4.1billion in 2021, and is expected to hit £4.9billion by 2026.
A BSIA spokesman said: “Being a security officer is more than just putting on a hi-vis vest. It’s a role that covers a huge number of jobs, many in unique and unusual places — from retail to office buildings, stadiums to airports, power stations to festivals or museums.”
To apply, security officers must have a good level of English, be aged over 18, have the right to work in the UK and have an SIA licence.
See bsia.co.uk/joining-the-industry.
Time to address stress
MORE than three quarters of UK staff report feeling stressed at work, up 13 per cent in the last 12 months.
April is National Stress Awareness Month so we’ve teamed up with Ed Johnson, founder of mentoring platform pushfar.com to share his tips on reducing stress at work.
Ed Johnson shares his tips on reducing stress at work
- Learn to delegate tasks: Your company has a duty of care and if you don’t have the capacity to cope with your workload, do not feel afraid to raise this concern. If it’s not possible to delegate tasks to someone else, have an upfront conversation about it.
- Avoid gossip: It might help you feel in the know, but it can also lead to more stress and a toxic working culture.
- Have a digital declutter: Reducing the emails you receive helps reduce stress. Unsubscribe from newsletters, filter your emails into specific folders and delete old emails no longer needed.
- Open up to a mentor: They can minimise stress and anxiety, by providing a safe space to share how you are feeling and help find resolutions to problems.
- Mix up your commute: A stressful journey to your workplace has a negative impact. Consider cycling, a car share or occasionally working from home.
- Know when to move on: If you’re coming home from work exhausted and stressed for a prolonged period of time, consider a change.
Gear up career
DRIVE your career forward with private hire cab firm Addison Lee.
It is seeking hundreds of new drivers with guaranteed earnings of £5,000 in the first month, then a £1,200 bonus.
The firm also offers an industry-leading rewards package include sick pay, holiday pay and a five per cent pension top-up.
Applicants need to be aged 21 and over with a PCO (Public Carriage Office) licence.
Patrick Gallagher, chief operating officer at Addison Lee, said: “It’s a great job for all ages, as the flexibility of choosing the days and hours you drive allows you to work around your lifestyle.”
Apply at addisonlee.com/become-an-addison-lee-driver.
Gongs back dads
ENTER the daddy of work awards. The Equal Parenting Project, in collaboration with men’s parenting and lifestyle platform Music Football Fatherhood, has opened nominations for the Working Dads Employer Awards.
The gongs were set up to promote the role of fathers in driving gender equality in the workplace.
Elliott Rae, pictured with his daughter, said: ‘I am delighted that more and more organisations are recognising the importance of supporting working dads’
Categories include parental leave policies, flexible working for dads, supporting returning dads and leadership and culture.
Elliott Rae, from Music Football Fatherhood said: “I am delighted that more and more organisations are recognising the importance of supporting working dads.”
Enter by April 21 at tinyurl.com/bdfrtwfe.
