How To Become a Full-Time Security Officer

So, you’re thinking about a career in security, that’s great! It’s a rewarding job in a booming industry.

You might have heard there isn’t full-time security officer work from your friends or during your research and are now wondering if that’s true?

Obviously, you’ve seen guards who only work evenings or weekends, three days a week or four on and four off but perhaps you haven’t heard of many full-time security officers. The security industry is 24/7 which is why it can be a little difficult to know what kind of working arrangements are available.

If you want to become a full-time security officer, there’s definitely jobs available for you in the security industry.

How do you become a full-time security officer? How long does it take? What do you have to study and how much do you make?

What does a full-time security officer do?

A full-time security officer will work under a ful- time contract with leave and sick pay. They will do a standard 38 hour week though they may have to do overtime sometimes and their schedule may change depending on where they work.

What would your schedule look like?

The hours that a full-time security officer works really depend on which industry they work in and what job they have. For example, a full-time security guard working for a library might work 8am – 4pm Monday to Friday, while someone working for the hospital might do a rotating roster of 6pm – 6am, 3 – 4 days per week. The days might change or the hours might change on a rotating roster with another casual or full-time security officer. Like the industry itself, your schedule can vary greatly.

Where can a full time security officer work?

They employ security officers in every industry for different roles. You might work as a hotel concierge, or in the emergency department of the hospital. You could work in a shopping centre or at a gatehouse. You may end up doing roving security guard work moving through different locations performing checks and patrols of buildings.

There is a security job to suit everyone out there.

How much does a full time security officer get paid?

Unless your company has an enterprise bargaining agreement or EBA, you’ll be paid under the Security Services Industry Award. A security officer working at a level 1 full-time, Monday to Friday daytime hours makes $22.84 per hour and $868 per week.

However, if you work nights or weekends or if you have shift work that gives you less than an 8 hour break between shifts, or you work overtime you’ll earn more per hour. The hourly rate for Monday to Friday night work is $29.69 and the rate for working a Sunday is $45.68 per hour.

So provided you’re interested in taking some night work, weekend work or shift work you can earn good money.

How do you become a full-time security officer?

Security officers need to complete training and get a licence to be able to work in the industry. We’ve outlined the process you will need to follow below.

Step 1 Research

Before you delve into applications for enrolment, course dates and funding, make sure security is the right career move for you!

This is a diverse industry and there are all kinds of roles out there but to really understand what will be expected of you, it’s a good idea to attend one of our free information sessions on security careers. We run these weekly at our Logan, Gold Coast and North Lakes campuses and online if you aren’t in these ares.

Step 2 The Course

If you do the free information session and decide this is the career path for you, then congratulations! Security is an exciting and varied career where you get to actually help people and it can be so rewarding. But what now?

The next step is complete a CPP20218 Certificate II in Security Operations.

This course runs for 8 days in a face to face workshop. It costs $1500 but you may be able to access some funding. The funding is called Certificate 3 Guarantee funding and you might be eligible if you:

are aged 15 years or older;
are no longer at school (with the exception of school students in Year 10, 11 and 12 undertaking a VET in School (VETiS) program;
permanently reside in QLD;
are an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident (includes humanitarian entrant), temporary resident with the necessary visa and work permits on the pathway to permanent residency, or a New Zealand citizen; and
do not hold, and are not enrolled in, a Certificate III or higher-level qualification, not including qualifications completed at school and foundation skills training.

If you are not eligible for this funding due to having previously studied but you are currently looking for work, you might be able to access some other funding. Have a chat with your job provider about your options.

There are also scholarships available for this course and the licence through MSS Security.

So, you just need to work out if you’re going to apply for a scholarship or some funding and pop in that application, decide on your course dates and complete your course.

Step 3 Getting your licence

Once you have completed your course, you’ll need to apply for your unarmed security guard licence through the Office of Fair Trading. To do this you will need to wait 10 – 14 business days for ASSET to send out your certificate. Then complete the application. This application can take between one and three months to be processed depending on how many applications are pending at the time.

Step 4 Getting the Job

Once you’ve completed your course and you have your licence, you are ready to rock and roll!

ASSET offers graduates a complimentary employment support program. In the employment support program we will take you through a mock interview, show you how to structure a resume for the security industry and what to highlight based on where you want to work.

Once you’ve completed the employment support program you are eligible to go onto a list of pre-vetted candidates for referrals. When our employer partners are looking for new staff, we can recommend you for the job!

ASSET is proud to have referred many successful candidates to different security companies for full-time security officer jobs. You can check out our student success stories to read about how other students have found the right role for them in security.

Want to know more?

If you’d like to know more about getting started in an exciting career in security you can book in for a free information session. Or you could check out the Certificate II in Security Operations course information.

If you’re unsure if security is the right path for you or you want some advice, enquire with us.

How To Become a Full-Time Security Officer