If you would like to get a job in protective services operations, there are several different ways that you can go about entering the field. Some of the career paths that you choose to take will be short and direct, and others will be longer, delayed and winding. The key to making career plans for your future is knowing what type of formal training and experience you will need to make your dreams turn into realities as quickly as possible. If you are not sure what type of degree you should earn or where you should start looking for professional experience, read on.
Earn Your Degree and Select the Right Major
Having a degree will get your foot in the door to many private and government agencies. The first step in your mission to start a career in protective services is to choose the right major when you enroll in a bachelor degree program. There is a long list of different formal degree programs that you can choose from that will help you develop the technical skills and the knowledge that you need for the field.
You can major in social services, protective services, criminal justice, or a more specific options like protective services operations if the institution has this option. If you select a criminal justice degree that concentrates on protective services operations, the curriculum will cover combat, operation planning, weapons, surveillance systems, communications systems and more. There might even be specialized courses that will cover how to handle emergency situations when there are attacks by air or land. Whatever program that you choose, but be sure that you choose a program that is accredited by a legitimate agency like the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences.
Get Professional Experience
There is a long list of protective service jobs that you can apply for when you hold a bachelor’s degree. If you want to land a position with a government agency, working in a protective services role with a private employer first can help you add to your resume. After you generate security or law enforcement experience in the private sector, you may be able to apply for the lower level positions with the Department of Homeland Security. To land a position, you can start as a physical security specialist and then work to become a criminal investigator or protective security program manager.
Complete a Specialized Training Program
Having your degree will give you leverage when you are searching for jobs, but once you have a position with a government agency you will need career specific training. Luckily, if you are working for the Department of Homeland Security, you can complete Protective Services Operations Training with the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center. This is an 11 day program that will prepare you for all that the job entails.
Related Resource: Become an Emergency Services Dispatcher
There will always be a need for domestic and international protective services. If you would like to work in the field, it is time to start searching for a formal degree program. Once you complete the curriculum and you then get professional experience to get noticed by the Department of Homeland Security, you can get a job protective services operations and start to take on more responsibility with field experience.