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Security

Security is one of the most economically bulletproof industries in Singapore, even during recessions. As SouthEast Asia’s top financial centre, the need for protecting valuable resources and business assets in Singapore fuels the demand for security firms to provide their expertise and manpower for all seasons.

Accreditation and regulation
The Security Association Singapore (SAS) is the umbrella association for local and international security firms operating in Singapore since 1976. By law, security firms are regulated by the Private Investigation & Security Agency Act 1973.

The Security Industry Regulatory Department (SIRD) under the Singapore Police Force sets standards for professional conduct, including the introduction of common identification cards for private security officers last year. Certis CISCO, AETOS Security Management and SATS Security Services are the largest security firms in Singapore, protecting both government organisations and private entities.

Future in security
People with graduate qualifications or managerial experience can expect to enter into supervisory positions with higher pay and more benefits, including the opportunity to work up to manager level quickly. Specialised study courses are also available; WDA offers the Security Supervisor Conversion Programme for those interested in security management while selected academic institutes and polytechnics offer similar certificate and diploma courses.

Traditionally, the public associates security with the presence of armed personnel guarding physical resources, institutions and people, but there is a much larger scope of duties. Security firms can also be tasked with devising strategies and methods for businesses and institutions to safeguard their resources in a proactive way, such as through the use of technology, or advising an organisation on conducting activities in a manner so as to minimise security risks. Many fields such as engineering and IT also contribute to the development of the security industry.

Engineering security
The development of devices for security purposes, such as vehicle/item tracking (embedded microchips, hologram stickers and sophisticated barcodes), personal protection (eg pepper spray and stun guns such as Tasers), enforcement (specialised guns, batons and heavy-duty torches), perimeter monitoring (CCTVs, alarm systems, motion sensors, infrared detectors, etc) and airport control (metal detectors, x-ray machines) is supplied by the engineering sector. To tackle criminal threats to safety and wealth, engineers come up with novel products and solutions to combat the risks.

Digitising security
Security management also involves the digital world. Because the Internet has become an important venue of commerce for businesses, security measures are needed to overcome possible breaches in online environments, such as hacking, viruses and spyware. IT specialists provide security solutions such as antivirus software, firewalls and network tools to protect against digital threats. They may also take a proactive approach by reinforcing programming code to make it less vulnerable for hacking, or encrypt databases and other information stored online.

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