Security officers/guards protect people, property and assets by investigating, monitoring, controlling and reporting threats.
Security officers/guards usually earn
$23-$30 per hour
Experienced security officers/guards usually earn
$30-$70 per hour
Source: NZ Security Association, 2020
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Vocational PathwaysMorePay for security officers/guards varies depending on experience and the type of work they do.
Source: NZ Security Association, 2020.
Security officers/guards may do some or all of the following:
Security officers/guards need to have knowledge of:
Private investigators and personal protection officers also need to have knowledge of:
Margret Bronnum talks about life as a security officer – 2.16 mins.
Hi, my name's Margret and I'm a CCTV operator.
Welcome
to the CCTV operating room.
So over here we have the cameras. I basically be the eyes for the guards on the
floor. I just look out for ram raids, car thieves,
and just basically shoplifters. Just saying, you won't be able to ram raid
Sylvia and you won't get away. So I usually just look out for any
suspicious people in the mall. My supervisor will tell us, okay,
this is what a person looks like.
This is what they did and this is where they are.
So we'll have to play back footage of where they went.
Then from there I'll send my guards to the floor and just keep eyes on
them - and just help our police officers that come in. The most
challenging thing about my job is the pressure that we're under.
So we have cops here,
they're wanting information ASAP cos some incidents are really serious and we
do need to catch the people fast. To be a CCTV operator,
you have to work shift work. So I work 3 to 4 days a week.
12 hour shifts from 7:00 AM. So first I started
off being a guard on the floor.
Eventually I made my way up into the office and I became a CCTV operator.
So during high school I joined a police training course that was run by
the police. So every Fridays we went to do training.
I eventually went to military prep school.
For the military prep school that I went to, it took three months.
Out of it I got my first aid certificate. I did get my COA as well.
It's a Certificate Of Approval of being a security guard.
They paid us to study with them.
So I got allowance every week and I did not have to pay for
anything. You do need qualifications for being a security guard,
but for CCTV,
no. A cool thing about my job is that there's never a dull moment here.
There's always something new to find out and you're always learning every day
cos every day is different.
There are no specific requirements to become a security officer/guard.
However, you need a Certificate of Approval issued by the Ministry of Justice to work.
To get a certificate, you need to:
For many roles, it can be helpful to gain the New Zealand Certificate in Security (Level 3 or 4).
A first aid certificate may also be useful.
A minimum of three years of secondary education is recommended. Useful subjects include physical education and digital technologies.
To become a loss prevention officer it is useful to gain a New Zealand Certificate in Security (Level 3 or 4).
To become a personal protection officer with the New Zealand Police you need to:
To become a private personal protection officer you need to:
To become a private investigator you need to have:
Security officers/guards need to be:
Useful experience for security officers/guards includes:
Security officers/guards need to have excellent fitness and must be strong.
Security officers/guards need to have a current Certificate of Approval issued by the Ministry of Justice to work.
NZ Security Association (09) 486 0441 - nzsa@security.org.nz - www.security.org.nz Ignite Colleges 0800 200 345 - https://ignitecolleges.ac.nz/ Check out related courses
Chances of getting a job as a security officer/guard are good because:
According to the Census, 9,378 security officer/guards worked in New Zealand in 2018.
Opportunities for private investigators are low but growing due to an increase in commercial fraud investigations.
Opportunities for security consultants are low because of the small size of the occupation.
Security officers/guards may work for:
Security officers/guards may progress to set up their own security firm, or move into security planning, consultancy or management roles.
Security officers/guards may specialise in an area of security such as:
Personal Protection Officer Personal protection officers provide for the personal safety of a client, either as part of the diplomatic protection squad or in the private sector. Private Investigator Private investigators conduct investigations for clients, such as obtaining personal information or investigating fraud. They may also prepare evidence for court proceedings.
Security officers/guards monitor and control crowds during large events
Corrections officers are responsible for keeping prisoners safe and secure and motivating them to make changes in their lives.
Customs officers control the entry and departure of goods, ships, planes and people to and from New Zealand.
Intelligence officers collect and analyse information on people, places and events that may be a threat to businesses or national and international security.
Police officers work to prevent and solve crime, keep the peace, and respond to criminal activities and emergencies.
Quarantine officers identify and control biosecurity risks at New Zealand's borders by inspecting goods and vessels arriving in the country.
