 |
 |
| |
Industrial
Security:
Keeping Businesses Safe
The
old idea of industrial security was a low-paid guard who stood at a
gate or patrolled an empty building at night. That's no longer the
reality. Today's industrial security professionals are highly trained
experts who can be found in the boardrooms and executive suites of
security-conscious companies around the world.
"This is a growth field," says Darcy Kernaghan. Kernaghan owns a
security consulting company.
"It's a huge industry, and it's nearly recession-proof. When times are
bad, the security industry is still pretty stable. It's not just 9/11
driving this. There's a real requirement for safety in public
places...which are often owned by private businesses or industry."
Industrial security covers a wide range of jobs, from security
consultants and guards to people who develop products like cameras and
alarm systems.
Protecting information from identity thieves, industrial spies and
hackers is extremely important. That means computer security experts
are in high demand.
Sample tasks for industrial security professionals include:
- Assessing
security risks, like shared computer files or job site access
- Reviewing
security products such as cameras or alarms
- Recommending
security measures
- Conducting
personnel background checks
- Designing
computer programs or applications
- Keeping
good records of clients and their security plans
- Responding
to security breaches
A typical day
might involve meeting with security system designers, touring job
sites, assessing security issues, doing research, writing security
reports or designing computer programs.
Kernaghan's company specializes in manpower and security consulting. It
also handles security at a major international airport.
"We work in all kinds of industries, although our focus is mainly
corporate security. We interface with all other security industries --
cameras, alarms etc.," says Kernaghan.
"Most people who come to us for work don't know what they're getting
into. They're looking at us because it's a growth industry. Then they
get a few years into it and start seeing all these career
possibilities: border patrol; corporate investigator; pre-board
screener....This industry is much bigger than a guard standing at a
post."
Much of the work involves dealing with people. "I like working with
people, knowing that I'm contributing to their safety and helping
them," says Ken Moffett. He is head of industrial security for Boeing.
Excellent communication skills are essential. Other characteristics
employers look for are integrity, honesty and teamwork.
You should be comfortable working in a team environment, but you should
also be able to work independently. A second language is an asset,
especially for international companies or government-related industries.
You should also have good research, planning and time management
skills. You need to be able to work under pressure in a crisis. A clean
background is a must: almost all companies run background checks on
employees before hiring them.
"We hire on values," says Kernaghan. "Integrity, honesty,
accountability and compassion are all important in this industry. Other
good ideas are criminology courses, reading trade magazines and joining
security associations, maybe working for an alarm company and
investigating the issues in the industry. Get informed."
A high school education is a must. A degree in criminology, social
services, law or business is frequently required. Computer security
specialists need a degree or diploma in computer science or computer
systems security.
Specialized training may be required for work in nuclear power plants
or hazardous work areas.
Almost all universities and colleges offer courses in criminology,
justice, law and business or commerce. Most offer computer science
degrees or diplomas that allow students to focus on information
security.
There are a number of formal training programs and courses in North
America specifically for security professionals.
ASIS International administers the three most widely recognized
certifications for security professionals: the Certified Protection
Professional (CPP) for experienced security professionals, the
Professional Certified Investigator (PCI), and the Physical Security
Professional (PSP).
Vicky Contavespi at ASIS International notes that certification is
becoming much more common.
"There's a real movement for people to get a higher degree now," she
says. "Certifications are a great tool. The CPP certification tells
employers that you've been a security manager and that you have a broad
knowledge of the industry, which is very important. A security
professional is more than just an ex-cop."
ASIS and the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania now offer
a two-week "mini-MBA" program for security executives. The program is
designed for chief security officers or security managers. Webster
University in Missouri also offers an MA program in security management
in cooperation with ASIS.
Work environments, stress levels and salaries in industrial security
vary widely depending on the exact job. If you're working for a large
company, you can expect fairly regular hours unless there is a crisis.
Independent consultants and security investigators may have more
irregular hours.
 |
Net
Sites
|
ASIS International
An organization of security professionals
http://www.asisonline.org
SANS Institute
Offers resources for computer security workers
http://www.sans.org
International
Association
of Professional Security Consultants
Sets industry standards for professionalism
http://www.iapsc.org/
Security Management
Magazine
Read the latest features
http://www.securitymanagement.com/
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Home |
Tell
Us What You
Think |
About Us |
Tell A Friend
