Do you have an interest in becoming a Physical Security Specialist? Then you have come to the right place. In this field, you can perform various tasks related to security such as providing technical support for electronic access systems, camera systems, and equipment maintenance.
You can even do IT projects and document data related security reports. The best part is that you can work for the public and private sectors to provide safety and security based on your employer’s needs. Sometimes you can travel and do background checks on others.
However, Physical Security Specialists also fall under a broader career category. For that reason, we will help you with the needed information to see if it’s the right career for you.
Where is Physical Security Protection Used?
Before deciding if this is the career path you want to take, it helps to know where Physical Security Protection is used. Firstly, companies use a Physical Security Specialist to protect building perimeters, structures, inside buildings, vulnerable points, and alarm triggers. A wide range of companies need to employ a Physical Security Specialist.
What is Your Role as a Physical Security Specialist?
The primary role is to provide and maintain protection measures as needed. Thus, you will protect valuable items as requested by your employer. In addition, you will need to understand the different threats of criminals and safeguard the location where such crimes can take place.
What’s more, it is your role to check what protection measures are in place, from guarding forces to police patrols. You will also need to work with an available budget to provide protective solutions for companies and make sure it fits in with the location’s aesthetics following legal and regulatory standards.
How Do You Become a Physical Security Specialist?
Typically, you need a criminal justice background experience as employers ask for candidates with degrees in security management, criminal justice, or other degrees in the field. Having a degree provides you with the skills you need to start your career path.
The coursework differs and can cover both the technical and electronic aspects of the job. Further, the courses also provide you with studies in law and ethics. You may find that some companies want a person with previous law enforcement experience or security guard experience before advancing for certification.
As a result, we recommend doing a Bachelor’s degree in a security-related or criminal justice field. The experience can vary depending on the area but the primary skills are writing and verbal communication, analytical, working in teams, interpersonal skills, and knowing the security process.
Get a Bachelor’s Degree
Many courses are available to obtain your bachelor’s degree in security or criminal justice fields. A criminal justice program helps you understand the ethics & law and criminology & corrections related to being a Physical Security Specialist.
You can also find more related programs in Bachelor of Science in Organizational Security and Management. On the other hand, you can take a course in Bachelor of Arts in Security Management. To apply, most schools want a high school diploma to enroll. Trying to find a role as a Physical Security Specialist without such a degree would be very difficult.
Get Work Experience
Another option is to get an entry-level position to obtain the necessary skills in physical security to get a higher-level role. Your job duties can include doing security clearance information, providing personal reports, and assisting other specialists with their inspections. You might even need to research regulations and guidelines.
Once you obtain your training in the Physical Security Specialist field, you can look for other work that offers you an advanced position. With a progressive role, you will be developing standard operating procedures working with senior-level management. Some other duties include performing inspections, assessing risks & threats, and testing procedures.
Earn Your Graduate Degree
While a degree in security-related fields or criminal justice is not always a requirement for all jobs, it is beneficial when looking for an advanced position. With your master’s degree, you learn criminology, forensic science, and terrorism.
Applying for a Master of Security Study or Master of Professional Studies in Safety and Security Leadership, you will need to complete a thesis. In addition, you will need to pass your written comprehensive examination or need to complete a capstone project as an add-on to the coursework.
Do an Introduction Course
If you are unsure if you want to move in this direction to become a Physical Security Specialist, you can do an introduction course. The program provides you with the basic understanding and components of what you will do to make this world safer. In addition, you will learn the knowledge:
- What important role will you play in society protecting facilities, data, assets, and people? You learn about guarding, barriers, access control, security furniture, and CCTV with the multiple systems available.
- With physical security barriers, you get information with examples of external and internal borders to prevent unauthorized intrusion.
- The physical, technical systems program shows you examples of supporting those physical barriers.
- You learn more about operated guarding services that include close protection, door supervision, and other private security functions.
- The security furniture and locks section, it provides you with more insight into storing items and different locking systems.
- You will also obtain information related to security alarm reactions. You will learn how to handle them.
- In addition, you also get insight into security situations and incident management. You learn how to manage them in the event of an incident.
Other programs teach you more about physical security threats, convergence & risk reduction, and physical security protection when taken as a career.
Final Thoughts
An introductory Physical Security Specialist course is a great way to provide you with information to decide if this is what you would like to do. Once you complete the course and are sure you want to follow the career path, you can start working at a company or pursue your Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree.
There are a few different ways to become a Physical Security Specialist and it’s a great job. Hopefully, now you have all the information you need to get your new career started
