How to apply for an SIA license?

The Security Industry Authority (SIA) is responsible to maintain all the codes of conduct of the entire private security industry of the United Kingdom. That means it is mandatory for any individual wanting to develop a career in the industry to apply for the SIA license permit. This is because the license certifies that you, as a job seeker, have all the essential theoretical knowledge and practical skills necessary for the job role.

The first step towards license application

You must keep it in mind that a single SIA license is not applicable to work in all the departments. Specific licenses are issued by the authorities to the competent candidates to serve the specific departments. This implies that before you apply for the license, you must choose the department you are interested to work in. The major security departments in the UK include:

·         Door Supervisor, responsible to work at the various licensed as well as unlicensed premises and guard the doors to prevent the entry of unauthorised and unwanted individuals

·         Security Guard, responsible to guard the entire premises as a whole and work with the other security personnel in a team

·         CCTV operator, be in-charge of the control room and operate various equipment to maintain an effective watch all over the individuals within the premises

Thus, before you apply for the license, you must choose the field and job role that suits your lifestyle and passion. For this purpose, you can check out the various SIA security training courses offered in the nation and compare out the course modules and necessary skills of the specific to the department.

Applying for the SIA license

Joining any of the SIA security training courses you are interested in makes it much easier for you to apply for the license and subsequently the job role. Not only the training provider guides you on all the relevant topics but also notifies the SIA about your performance as soon as you qualify the course assessment. It saves you the time of waiting for the license application process until you physically obtain the certificate. After you have successfully completed the assessment, all you need to do is visit the official website of the SIA and apply for the specific license that you prepared for. It takes about a couple of weeks for the SIA to send you the license. Once you obtain the license, you can start applying for the open opportunities and get started in your chosen career path.

Can you apply for more than one license?

If you have the knowledge and skills, you can apply for as many security licenses as you want. Even if you do not have the skills, you can join the training from any of the SIA recognised training providers and develop the specific skills sets before you apply for the license. Applying for more than one license just helps you to increase your skills, expertise, and scopes of landing a job in the private security industry.