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This question is about security guard education.

What degree do you need to be a security guard?

By Zippia Team - Oct. 25, 2022

You do not need a degree to be a security guard. Most states require security guards have a high school diploma or equivalent. Some guards may be required to have additional training, such as first aid and CPR certification.

Security guards are blue-collar workers who patrol and monitor areas to ensure safety and prevent or stop incidents. They may be employed by a variety of businesses, such as:

  • Malls

  • Sports stadiums

  • Hospitals

  • Banks

  • Museums

Their duties can include preventing losses and damages to company property or ensuring the safety of people inside the building.

Security officers typically report to security managers or supervisors who are in charge of supervising and dispatching all officers at a given location.

Security job responsibilities include but aren't limited to:

  • Perimeter patrols

  • Performing surveillance using surveillance equipment and during patrols,

  • Inspecting and maintaining security equipment and security systems when necessary

  • Contacting the authorities or emergency services

  • Supervising the arrival of workers or visitors

  • Recognizing abnormalities and responding appropriately to alarms or calls for assistance

  • Investigating suspicious activities and behaviors

  • Enforcing laws, regulations, and policy rules on behalf of clients

  • Identifying threats.

  • Maintaining customer contact information.

  • Responding quickly to alarms or calls for help

  • Enforcing regulation, law, and policy rules on behalf of customers

  • Apprehending intruders

  • Providing answers to inquiries, as well as taking phone messages at a security desk

  • Keeping daily logs of incidents and other events

Driving and monitoring armored vehicles for the transportation of valuables is a common component of some security occupations.

Working in security isn't meant for everyone. People who become security guards need to have solid judgment, quick thinking, and quick decision-making skills when incidents occur.

Entry-level security work is the most common. To be considered for most employment possibilities in this sector, you'll need a high school diploma or GED. You won't need any extra schooling, though. On-the-job training will happen as soon as you're hired. The length of your training will differ depending on the position you obtain.

If you're hired as an armed security guard, you'll have to complete more expensive and longer training than if you work in an office clerk position. You'll also be subjected to a weapons test. If you want to carry a gun while working, check your state's laws because may need an extra license.

Even if carrying firearms is allowed where you work, some employers might require that their employees' guns stay on the property.

The amount of time you must spend training for a security job differs based on the state in which you live. As most employers will do a background check, it's necessary to have a clean criminal record to get hired as a security guard.

What degree do you need to be a security guard?

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