Specialist for protection and security (IHK)

The job profile

Specialists in protection and security have a wide range of uses. On the one hand, they are specialists for the operational security business and are therefore highly sought after in complex operational areas such as airports, nuclear power plants and other security-sensitive facilities; however, they are also trained for higher-level activities such as the creation of security concepts, business calculations and personnel management. As a result, career-minded protection and security specialists are often found in middle management positions.

The career path
The chart presented shows the security industry qualifications recognized by chambers of commerce and the associated entry levels.

Following their training, protection and security specialists usually enter the profession through one of the following initial assignments:

• Assignment as an operational security guard in a complex object, where the qualification of the specialist for protection and security is required by the client or other regulations. Through additional qualifications, it is also possible to become a professional weapon bearer or service dog handler.
• Employment in a managerial function in objects in which security personnel are deployed whose qualification is below that of a specialist for protection and security (e.g. as an operations manager, object manager, supervisor or comparable).
• Assignment at the middle management level, e.g. as a division manager, personnel dispatcher or comparable.

The initial assignment depends to a large extent on the employee’s own interests, suitability, professional performance and ability.

With regard to further career planning, there are various development options. Obtaining additional qualifications can provide one with interesting follow-up employment in operational areas. In middle management, development is possible in the areas of personnel management, quality assurance, controlling, sales or training and further education.

Earnings outlook
The earning potential depends strongly on the use. The salary of operational security personnel is based on the applicable collective bargaining agreements. Often, an object-related non-tariff bonus is also paid.

Earnings in managerial positions are agreed on a non-tariff basis. Factors such as prior experience, age, additional qualifications, and past performance are also considered in determining salary. Therefore, the wage may vary from individual to individual.

The training
The training is carried out in a dual system and is divided into equal sections: an approx. two-month phase of in-company training is followed by an approx. three-week block of vocational school. The total training period is three years.

During the in-company training, the assignment takes place across all objects. The aim is to communicate the full range of the company’s security services and build up breadth of use. The assignment initially takes place at the operational level and is accompanied by a trainer. As the training progresses, higher-level content is also successively taught, depending on aptitude. The focus will be as follows:

1. Year of training: deployment theory (theory on approaches to deployment situations) and deployment training (practical implementation of deployment theory, e.g. in the form of role plays / grappling and defensive techniques)
2. Year of training: Creating safety concepts
3. Year of apprenticeship: leadership apprenticeship

In order to convey these key topics within the framework of company training, regular courses are held at the company. In the second year of their apprenticeship, trainees also draw up safety concepts based on real-life operational situations under the guidance of their instructor. In the third year of their apprenticeship, they conduct their first real operations (also under the guidance of their instructor).

The weekly training time averages 40 hours. Shift work is performed and shift lengths vary between 6 and 12 hours depending on the assignment. The duty rosters are not subject to a duty cycle, but are prepared monthly in advance and announced on the 20th of the previous month.

In the vocational school, all theoretical teaching content required for the exercise of the profession is taught:

• Legal basis for acting as a security guard
• Behavior appropriate to the situation
• Security services (planning, order processing, market and customer orientation, preparation of offers)
• Safety engineering
• Creation of safety concepts
• Risk Management
• Business contexts

Performance assessments (papers, exams, midterm exams) are conducted regularly to check learning success.

The training finally ends with passing a written and oral final examination before the Chamber of Commerce.

Training location
The training locations depend largely on the trainee’s place of residence. With residence in Hamburg the employment takes place in Hamburg objects. The vocational school is the Berufliche Schule gewerbliche Logistik und Sicherheit (BS 27), Wohlwillstraße 46, 20359 Hamburg.

If you live in Schleswig-Holstein, you will work near your home and attend the vocational school: Berufsbildungszentrum Bad Segeberg, Theodor-Storm-Strasse 9, 23795 Bad Segeberg.

Berlin trainees are deployed in the Berlin city area and attend the Oberstufenzentrum Recht, Danckelmannstraße 26-28, 14059 Berlin.

Training allowance
The training allowance is based on the applicable collective bargaining situation.