There is no need to be a graduate of higher education to become a security guard, but you will need to follow a short training course and meet certain requirements.
During his university studies, André Lacroix had his sights on the best part-time job: security guard. “It was better paying than the odd jobs that most of my friends took in cafés, and the work was rewarding and more varied than it looks,” he says. Hired to provide security to premises or property leading to do a little customer service, to control entrances or exits or to manage crowds – the security officer is never bored.
Firms such as GardaWorld and Securitas hire massively, on a part-time basis, candidates who meet in priority two simple requirements: having followed a few weeks training leading to obtaining a security officer’s licence and having first aid training.
On the way to getting the security officer’s licence
No private security company will hire you unless you hold the license issued by a competent authority in your province. In Quebec, for example, licenses are issued by the Bureau de la sécurité privée (BSP). In Ontario, everything goes directly through the provincial government via the Service Ontario platform.
A 50 to 70-hour course must be followed to obtain this permit. It can be taken at a school board that offers the private security guard program. Some large security agencies are themselves authorized to provide this training. For example, you can look at the course offered by GardaWorld Campus.
The training, very extensive even if it is short, covers crowd control techniques, non-violent crisis intervention techniques, writing reports, radio communication and fire prevention (among others).
Mastery of emergency care
The general first aid certificate is another prerequisite for working as a security officer. A 16-hour course will be necessary to obtain this valuable document and to acquire skills in first aid and CPR. National bodies dispense this course across the country, including St. John’s Ambulance and the Canadian Red Cross.
For a first job as a security guard in Quebec, it is recommended to follow the official course by Secourisme RCR Québec, required for new officers to obtain their license
from the BSP. Once you have these two documents in your pocket, you are ready for the job interview. Good luck!