Profile of Chartered Security Professional: Paul Simmons (Australia)

In our ongoing series focusing on Chartered Security Professionals, we profile Paul Simmons CSyP who is a seasoned and senior security professional working in Australia. He tells us about his career and about the security sector in Australia.

My life was nearly taken from me a few months after graduating from the police academy in an ambush set up to murder two policemen. Ever since then, I have dedicated my life to the protection of others and to the community in general.

After a twenty-year career in policing, I founded an Australian private security company when I realised my skills and knowledge, along with my philosophy of always providing honest and frank advice, were in high demand in the security industry and was highly valued by clients. I am deeply committed to safety, particularly in the workplace, and can proudly say, that our security company has not experienced a single workplace injury in our 18 years thanks to our extensive planning and faithful execution of our security plans.

One of my first private security roles was back in government, leading the security workforce at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games at Melbourne Park Sporting Precinct. In this role, as the go-between between the police, Australian Army and an 800 strong private security team. I gained valuable insights into the strengths and limitations of the private security industry.

The experience opened my eyes to the need for professional training of security guards. I established a Registered Training Organisation delivering armed and unarmed guard training to 1,100 students per year. I was a founding executive committee member of the Security Trainers Association, which was established to improve the standard of training and assessment materials available nationally, and promote professionalism in the industry.

Volunteering satisfies my innate need to be of service to the community, and it exposes me to the views and beliefs of a very wide cross section of the community from people with mental illness, young people and police veterans suffering from trauma and disadvantage to senior military and industry leaders and professionals.

Having a fuller understanding of the community and the needs of, and challenges faced by, its constituents helps me to be a better leader.

I applied for CSyP to gain recognition of my skills and knowledge as a security professional, and to benefit from a network of experienced, skilled individuals across the globe who are operating at the highest standards.

I hope, in time, that the CSyP recognition gains more recognition in Australia so we may build a strong network of knowledgeable and skilled professionals closer to home for the benefit of the security industry and the wider community.

I first became aware of the CSyP Register after following another security professional on LinkedIn – Tony Ridley, and noted his CSyP post nominal. Being naturally curious, I did some research on the register and realised that it was a good fit with my own career.

The CSyP application process is an opportunity for reflection on your life and career, and it is very beneficial in that regard. To consider what have been the lessons learned as well as the highlights of a worthy career in the security industry is a worthwhile undertaking. Gaining recognition through the award of CSyP status is personally very satisfying. I hope that my clients gain the same level of satisfaction knowing they are dealing with a professional who has been judged by his peers to be operating at the highest levels of security knowledge and capability.

An insight into the security profession in Australia

The Australian security industry is heavily regulated and these regulations vary from place to place, with each state believing they have the best approach to what’s best for the community.

Entry Level – Each Australian state has its own peculiar regulatory requirements for security personnel. Every security activity requires a licence, e.g. security consultant’s licence, and there are multiple subcategories. For example, unarmed security guard, armed security guard, control room operator, crowd controller, and security installer are just some of the activities a licence is required for. You may only offer, or undertake, the security work that you are licensed for.

A security licence must be obtained prior to accepting employment. This presents a significant barrier to entry level applicants interested in joining the security industry as the cost of training and obtaining a licence may be more than $1,000 before they may apply for work. Outside of technical fields such as locksmiths and electricians, there are no opportunities for apprenticeship in the Australian security industry.

It’s even harder for anyone migrating to Australia wishing to work in the security industry. Migrants must wait for 12 months to pass while they are physically present in Australia before they can apply for a security licence.

What’s more, security licences are only valid in the state of issue so a security professional seeking to work in more than one state needs to obtain a licence in each state that they wish to be active in. This requirement can stop security professionals from taking advantage of opportunities that may arise interstate on short notice. It can be prohibitively expensive to maintain a security licence in multiple states.

It’s also a barrier to companies who would otherwise send trained and experienced personnel interstate for major events but they are unable to do so as most of their personnel would not ordinarily hold an interstate licence.

The opportunity to build a security career in Australia is limited due to the small size of our population, 25 million, and the fact that the major security companies rely on subcontractors to provide a significant proportion of their workforce. This means the organisation of most security companies, outside the majors, is flat, with little room for advancement.

Alternative pathways

Former members of the Australian Defence Force and police services have an alternative route into the security industry, often commencing at management level in major security firms or with consultancies. People in these roles also require a security licence, and must undertake the relevant training qualification relevant to that security licence if they wish to provide security consultancy services to clients.

Many people with an entrepreneurial spirit enter the industry with their own security company, as the barriers to entry are low, although regulatory compliance, in terms of cost and time, is more onerous than other industries.