How to become an Airport Screening Officer
How to become an Airport Screening Officer
- Complete Certificate II in Security Operations
- Get a Job Ready ASIC
- Complete Certificate II in Transport Security Protection
With travel bubbles opening and the widespread rollout of the vaccine, people are beginning to feel safe getting back on the tarmac. And this means there’s about to be a surge of job openings at the airports to replace the staff lost during the lockdown year. So if you’re thinking about a career change, airport security and screening might be a good option for you.
If you’ve ever been waiting in line to get through airport security and wondered what kind of training do these guards do, do you need a licence or certificate and how do you go about becoming an Airport Screening Officer? We have the answers for you.
What is an Airport Screening Officer?
The Airport Screening Officers are the guards who screen you and your luggage at the airport. It’s their job to make sure you and everyone else in the airport are safe to travel and don’t have any contraband in your luggage.
Do they have a licence?
The Airport Screening Officers are also qualified security guards, so they have studied, applied for and received their security guard licence.
What courses do you have to study?
To become an Airport Screening Officer you’ll need to complete the Certificate II in Security Operations. This is the required course to get your security guard licence and work as a security guard.
From June 16, 2021 new Airport Screening Officers need to hold a Certificate II in Transport Security Protection. This course provides you with specialist skills you’ll need to do the job.
How long does it take?
If you’re starting from scratch with the courses and the application processes for licensing, it will take up to 3 months.
Firstly, you’ll need to apply to do the Certificate II in Security Operations. This course takes eight days to complete in a face-to-face workshop. You can attend at one our three locations North Lakes, Logan or the Gold Coast. We also have offices in Townsville, Tasmania and we deliver training through our training partner network right across the country.
Once you have completed this course you can make an application for the unarmed security guard licence to the Office of Fair Trading. This can take 4 – 6 weeks.
Then to be able to take the next course you’ll need to get a Job Ready ASIC. This is a clearance card for working at the airport. You have to fill in an application and pay $167.20 and the application can take a couple of weeks to be processed.
Once this is done, you’ll want to enrol for the Certificate II in Transport Security Protection. this course includes a 5 day face-to-face workshop coupled with online learning.
How much does it cost?
The Certificate II in Security Operations costs $1500 if you’re paying the full fee for service price, however most students qualify for some government funding for this course. The funding available is called Certificate 3 Guarantee funding, you can read all about the requirements here.
Then the application for the unarmed security guard licence application with the Office of Fair Trading costs approximately $545 (correct as at 17/06/2021).
The next step of the process is to apply for the Job Ready ASIC. This costs $167.20 for the application process and then once approved you can enrol for the Certificate II in Transport Security Protection and this course costs $1750.
Unfortunately there isn’t any funding available for this course at this time however there are payment plans you can check out here.
How much do airport security screening officers make?
Airport security Screeners are security guards so their pay rate is dictated by the security services industry award which you can view here. But the average wage is between $22 and $29 per hour as standard.
What employment opportunities are there?
As a qualified security guard and aviation screening officer there are many roles that would be open to you, both in security more generally and in airport screening specifically. But studying with ASSET gives you an edge over other applicants.
ASSET is committed to offering additional employment support to our graduates through the employer connections program. This program offers you assistance with interview tips, resume help and introductions to some of the largest security companies in Queensland.
ASSET has partnerships and recruitment drives with many different security companies but one of the biggest ones is with ISS, which is the security company with the airport contracts for Brisbane and the Gold Coast.
What’s the job like?
Many of our graduates rave about working in airport security screening. It gives you the opportunity to learn and be challenged and you know you’re doing a job that is important and really helps people.
Recent ASSET graduate and airport security screening officer Yuriy Popov said , “At the airport you can get shifts in various locations. You deal with new people and new circumstances all the time. Thanks to the fact that there are hundreds of security staff members you get to work with many co-workers of diverse origins all the time.”
ASSET graduate and airport security screening officer Lauren Paton said, “After 3 years working as an APO I’m still in love with the job. There are so many tasks to undertake and roles to experience. In my time at the airport I have worked in the primary screening areas at both International and Domestic terminals, worked in checked baggage screening, freight screening and even had shifts training new staff and leading the team. There are endless opportunities to learn and grow. “
If you’re interested in getting into aviation security, come along to one of our free career information sessions.
Our expert client services team will walk you through the process for getting into this special area of security, explain the funding options that might be available to you and talk about some of the employment opportunities that we can assist you with post-study.
Or you can have a chat with one our friendly course advisors today.