SIA Licence - Security / Door work
Discussion
Good morning PH
Does anyone on here work as a security guard, do door work or work as site security?
I have a full time job but will have nearly 7 weeks off over the summer and therefore booked onto a door security and site security course with the plan of obtaining an SIA license following that. I also plan to carry on a few weekends, bank hols etc. after that as I'm not much of a drinker anyway and rarely go out.
I'll be doing a few days here and there on a campsite, club & beach to keep me busy over the summer. I've always fancied having a go at I'm looking forward to the challenge, totally different from what I'm doing day to day normally.
Any tips, tricks, words of wisdom from people that already do it as a career?
Thanks!
Does anyone on here work as a security guard, do door work or work as site security?
I have a full time job but will have nearly 7 weeks off over the summer and therefore booked onto a door security and site security course with the plan of obtaining an SIA license following that. I also plan to carry on a few weekends, bank hols etc. after that as I'm not much of a drinker anyway and rarely go out.
I'll be doing a few days here and there on a campsite, club & beach to keep me busy over the summer. I've always fancied having a go at I'm looking forward to the challenge, totally different from what I'm doing day to day normally.
Any tips, tricks, words of wisdom from people that already do it as a career?
Thanks!
I work with a lot of SIA door staff in the club/bar industry & have done for a number of years.
I don't think it's particularly well paid (around £10 an hour) & the hours are absolutely pants. (Unless you're nocturnal).
They have to deal with all sorts of stuff, loads of abuse, threats, people being sick on them, spat at, if it all kicks off (which it invariably does do), once you mix 'adults' with alcohol, you can find yourself in a sticky situation.
Some of them whilst working the bars/clubs have normal day jobs, some do other security work (shops/site), they all say how mind numbingly boring site/shop security is, as generally they'll be sat in an portakabin (or their car), waiting for something to happen, on the very odd chance it does, they've said it's sketchy as hell as it'll be a bunch of kids/travellers. or junkies.
A lot of them who do it it as a side line until they get into something with better hours/pay.
For what they have to deal with working in the bar/club industry, i'd almost rather just be a member of the bar staff, get paid a bit less & not have to put myself at risk.
'Most', seem fairly decent people just trying to make a living, but with the kind of role you will get the little Hitlers who enjoy using it as a way to bully people & act the hardman when they've got 'back-up', to bail them out.
I don't think it's particularly well paid (around £10 an hour) & the hours are absolutely pants. (Unless you're nocturnal).
They have to deal with all sorts of stuff, loads of abuse, threats, people being sick on them, spat at, if it all kicks off (which it invariably does do), once you mix 'adults' with alcohol, you can find yourself in a sticky situation.
Some of them whilst working the bars/clubs have normal day jobs, some do other security work (shops/site), they all say how mind numbingly boring site/shop security is, as generally they'll be sat in an portakabin (or their car), waiting for something to happen, on the very odd chance it does, they've said it's sketchy as hell as it'll be a bunch of kids/travellers. or junkies.
A lot of them who do it it as a side line until they get into something with better hours/pay.
For what they have to deal with working in the bar/club industry, i'd almost rather just be a member of the bar staff, get paid a bit less & not have to put myself at risk.
'Most', seem fairly decent people just trying to make a living, but with the kind of role you will get the little Hitlers who enjoy using it as a way to bully people & act the hardman when they've got 'back-up', to bail them out.
Going back a few years now, when i was at Uni I did my SIA licence and worked as shop security (Top Shop), Night security at a large hotel, doorman on a local pub, doorman on a club/bar on Poole quay and then security (was more like protection) for a boxing promoter during his Boxing contests / shows.
I did this because I'd worked as a glass collector and barman for £7 ish an hour and doormen were getting £10 an hour and I'd seen enough sh*t ones to know I could do it, despite being 5ft 7.
Would I do it again? Only if I needed the money. My experience went something like this:
Top shop - long boring days, basically checking people's bags when they set the scanners off. Following dodgy looking people around the store etc. Don't recall ever catching a shop-lifter
Hotel - fairly easy going though there were a couple of "moments" when I had to go up to hotel rooms to tell people to keep the noise down (invariably folks doing coke and talking too noisily). We did get a large traveller family turn up (no bother at all) for a meal who subsequently booked a wedding reception at the hotel but I wasn't working for the wedding itself - i believe the security company i worked for were having to pay double and triple pay to find security to work that night.
Doorman on local pub was a piece of piss - really nice staff, locals were easy going (mostly piss heads that needed waking up from the bogs at the end of the night and pointing to the nearest kebab shop or generally told "Time Gentlemen Please!!)
Doorman and internal security at the Bar / Club in Poole was pretty s
t. Lots of very tanked up, full of testosterone young men wanting to get a name for themselves. One guy tried to smash a bottle on a metal bar and then stuck it in my face. Thankfully it didn't smash as he managed to stick it in my face. that was the one that pissed me off the most I think and was one of two times I've really lost it with someone. Thankfully for the both of us, as I dragged him outside with the full intent to cause him serious injury (red mist here and very unlike me) two coppers were walking past so i hurled him at them and told them what had happened.
Boxing promoter security - it was exactly as you'd imagine in the films. Lively. Really enjoyed it but declined a few offers of work down the line as it just felt like the next offer of work was going to be "drive this car from here to there, don't look in the boot".
I did this because I'd worked as a glass collector and barman for £7 ish an hour and doormen were getting £10 an hour and I'd seen enough sh*t ones to know I could do it, despite being 5ft 7.
Would I do it again? Only if I needed the money. My experience went something like this:
Top shop - long boring days, basically checking people's bags when they set the scanners off. Following dodgy looking people around the store etc. Don't recall ever catching a shop-lifter
Hotel - fairly easy going though there were a couple of "moments" when I had to go up to hotel rooms to tell people to keep the noise down (invariably folks doing coke and talking too noisily). We did get a large traveller family turn up (no bother at all) for a meal who subsequently booked a wedding reception at the hotel but I wasn't working for the wedding itself - i believe the security company i worked for were having to pay double and triple pay to find security to work that night.
Doorman on local pub was a piece of piss - really nice staff, locals were easy going (mostly piss heads that needed waking up from the bogs at the end of the night and pointing to the nearest kebab shop or generally told "Time Gentlemen Please!!)
Doorman and internal security at the Bar / Club in Poole was pretty s
t. Lots of very tanked up, full of testosterone young men wanting to get a name for themselves. One guy tried to smash a bottle on a metal bar and then stuck it in my face. Thankfully it didn't smash as he managed to stick it in my face. that was the one that pissed me off the most I think and was one of two times I've really lost it with someone. Thankfully for the both of us, as I dragged him outside with the full intent to cause him serious injury (red mist here and very unlike me) two coppers were walking past so i hurled him at them and told them what had happened.Boxing promoter security - it was exactly as you'd imagine in the films. Lively. Really enjoyed it but declined a few offers of work down the line as it just felt like the next offer of work was going to be "drive this car from here to there, don't look in the boot".
Close Protection but do the odd bit of site security, asset protection and RST (residential security) on the side.
RST’s a decent and steady gig but most companies will insist on a CP badge (around £3-4K for a decent 4 week course) plus most want ex mil or plod.
I worked the doors a couple times around 7 years ago but it wasn’t for me, way too much hassle.
Retail Security....no thanks!
Site security....be prepared for long hours and crappy pay, 12 hour shifts (nights mainly) and most weekends. Some are 14 hours over winter and depending on the job I’d have around an hours drive to the yard to pick up the vehicle and 30/40 mins drive to the actual site then sat in a vehicle all night. Knackering!!!
Others were on static sites in a container/access control. 12 hours day/night and every weekend. Some shifts were 5 days/5 nights/5 off, some 4 on 4 off some week on/off. Depends on the contract.
RST’s a decent and steady gig but most companies will insist on a CP badge (around £3-4K for a decent 4 week course) plus most want ex mil or plod.
I worked the doors a couple times around 7 years ago but it wasn’t for me, way too much hassle.
Retail Security....no thanks!
Site security....be prepared for long hours and crappy pay, 12 hour shifts (nights mainly) and most weekends. Some are 14 hours over winter and depending on the job I’d have around an hours drive to the yard to pick up the vehicle and 30/40 mins drive to the actual site then sat in a vehicle all night. Knackering!!!
Others were on static sites in a container/access control. 12 hours day/night and every weekend. Some shifts were 5 days/5 nights/5 off, some 4 on 4 off some week on/off. Depends on the contract.
Have you tested the water to see if there's any work going? My mate has the badge but rarely gets work on doors now (for a wage he would accept anyway). He suggests that a lot of people get the SIA paid for if on jobseekers and thinks the market saturated which has driven wages to the £10 before tax. Which for the violence he experienced wasn't worth the money - though he's into MMA and seems to suited to confrontation.
He also said bar work was better overall.
He also said bar work was better overall.
Sebo said:
Boxing promoter security - it was exactly as you'd imagine in the films. Lively. Really enjoyed it but declined a few offers of work down the line as it just felt like the next offer of work was going to be "drive this car from here to there, don't look in the boot".
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