In the second of a two part blog, Abbey Petkar, managing director of Magenta Security looks at the legacy of the Olympic Games.
Unanimously, the Games Makers loved their Olympic experience, and described it as both exhausting and fulfilling. They were all focussed on doing their bit to make London a great and safe place to be.
But what’s next for the army of volunteers? Many of them have gone back to to their usual day job. But for some volunteers, they are now considering whether their Olympic experience can take them on to a career in security.
Prior to the Games, there were concerns about the ability of volunteers to carry out the job to the same standard as trained, licenced security guards. But having experienced the Olympics first hand the volunteers did a very good job, and they should be praised for their commitment and high standards.
Security is an important industry and we need to attract high calibre staff. Security guards are some of the most important people in society today and to be a good security guard involves a strong commitment to care for the people and society at large. These are attributes which were undoubtedly shown by the Olympic Games Makers and some saw the opportunity as a route to a long term career within the security industry.
But being a security officer is not about just doing a job. They have to have the mental makeup that it takes to hold a job like this. They must be prepared, trained properly and have the right certification and equipment. The volunteers at the Olympic Games demonstrated that they had the skills required to carry out their work efficiently and had the characteristics demanded of a security guard.
For those who decide that being a security guard is the career for them can receive the proper training and certification they need. There are companies throughout the industry, such as Magenta Security, who offer staff on-going training so they can develop their skills and get the certification they need.
Before the games I said we could all learn from the partnerships being developed to deliver a safe and secure event. Possibly the strongest partnership developed was with the Games Makers, people who may not have considered having a job within the security industry but now have the opportunity to do so.
The security industry is booming and there is great demand for trained security personnel. The Games Maker’s experience will benefit future employers as much as they will benefit from becoming part of a growing industry.
Abbey Petkar
