Airport security officer to security guard
An airport security officer already meets 32% of what the security guard role asks for. The move turns on 12 required skills not yet in the profile.
72/ 100
1 How much of what a security guard is expected to do is already part of an airport security officer’s work. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs, because moving into a speciality is not the same problem as moving out of one. 2 Every skill the security guard role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.
Why this move works
A security guard role treats 8 of its required skills as things an airport security officer already does. You would walk in with these on day one.
- check official documents
- detain offenders
- ensure law application
- ensure public safety and security
- identify security threats
- identify terrorism threats
What stands in the way is 12 required skills the profile does not yet cover. Table 3 groups them; Table 4 says which to take first.
Table 2 · What you already bring
Of the 13 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A security guard role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of an airport security officer background worth leading with.
- already held inspect cargo information skills
- already held conduct airport security screening assisting and caring
- already held perform body searches assisting and caring
- already held perform security checks assisting and caring
- already held illegal substances services
- already held identify terrorism threats information skills
All 13 carried skills, including the 8 the security guard role treats as required.
Table 3 · What you may need to learn
The 38 missing skills fall into 9 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered in the order worth working in. Areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the optional ones. Nothing here is a verdict on you: it is a list of what this particular job asks for that your current one does not.
- still to learn check tickets at venue entry required
- still to learn execute inspection walkway required
- still to learn maintain facility security systems required
- still to learn comply with the principles of self-defence required
- still to learn deal with aggressive behaviour required
- still to learn patrol areas required
- still to learn practice vigilance required
- still to learn restrain individuals required
- optional, not held carry out security activities with a dog optional
- optional, not held exercise security in hospitals optional
- optional, not held provide security in detention centres optional
- optional, not held ensure store security optional
- optional, not held manage lost and found articles optional
- optional, not held control crowd optional
- optional, not held ensure compliance with types of weapons optional
- optional, not held handle surveillance equipment optional
- optional, not held manage major incidents optional
- optional, not held provide door security optional
- optional, not held regulate traffic optional
- still to learn liaise with security authorities required
- still to learn stay alert required
- optional, not held interrogate individuals optional
- still to learn security threats required
- optional, not held alarm systems optional
- optional, not held security in commercial buildings optional
- optional, not held security in industrial buildings optional
- optional, not held fire safety regulations optional
- still to learn monitor surveillance equipment required
- optional, not held ensure security on ships optional
- optional, not held document security incidents in the store optional
- optional, not held ensure hotel security optional
- optional, not held monitor parking areas to maintain security optional
- optional, not held legal requirements related to ammunition optional
- optional, not held criminal law optional
3 further areas in the appendix
Table 4 · Where to start
The 3 entries a security guard role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.
- 01 check tickets at venue entry practise this
- 02 execute inspection walkway practise this
- 03 maintain facility security systems practise this
Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.
Appendix · The rest of the record
All 13 skills that carry over
- already held check official documents skill
- already held detain offenders skill
- already held ensure law application skill
- already held ensure public safety and security skill
- already held identify security threats skill
- already held identify terrorism threats skill
- already held perform body searches skill
- already held perform security checks skill
- already held conduct airport security screening skill
- already held illegal substances knowledge
- already held inspect cargo skill
- already held legal use-of-force knowledge
- already held provide first aid skill
The 3 learning areas not shown above
- optional, not held explosives optional
- optional, not held surveillance methods optional
- optional, not held check methods optional
- optional, not held operate radio equipment optional
26 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
- optional, not held alarm systems optional
- optional, not held carry out security activities with a dog optional
- optional, not held ensure security on ships optional
- optional, not held exercise security in hospitals optional
- optional, not held provide security in detention centres optional
- optional, not held document security incidents in the store optional
- optional, not held ensure hotel security optional
- optional, not held ensure store security optional
- optional, not held explosives optional
- optional, not held legal requirements related to ammunition optional
- optional, not held manage lost and found articles optional
- optional, not held monitor parking areas to maintain security optional
- optional, not held security in commercial buildings optional
- optional, not held security in industrial buildings optional
- optional, not held check methods optional
- optional, not held control crowd optional
- optional, not held criminal law optional
- optional, not held ensure compliance with types of weapons optional
- optional, not held fire safety regulations optional
- optional, not held handle surveillance equipment optional
- optional, not held interrogate individuals optional
- optional, not held manage major incidents optional
- optional, not held operate radio equipment optional
- optional, not held provide door security optional
- optional, not held regulate traffic optional
- optional, not held surveillance methods optional
26 held skills the security guard role does not ask for
- not needed by the target role airport safety regulations knowledge
- not needed by the target role apply airport standards and regulations skill
- not needed by the target role apply knowledge of human behaviour skill
- not needed by the target role apply self-defence skill
- not needed by the target role carry out evacuation of airport in an emergency skill
- not needed by the target role check implementation security plan skill
- not needed by the target role check travel documentation skill
- not needed by the target role conduct airport safety inspections skill
- not needed by the target role conduct frisk skill
- not needed by the target role conduct research interview skill
- not needed by the target role ensure compliance with airport security measures skill
- not needed by the target role ensure compliance with policies skill
- not needed by the target role execute working instructions skill
- not needed by the target role identify airport safety hazards skill
- not needed by the target role investigation research methods knowledge
- not needed by the target role maintain operational communications skill
- not needed by the target role manage technical security systems skill
- not needed by the target role perform risk analysis skill
- not needed by the target role plan shifts of employees skill
- not needed by the target role report airport security incidents skill
- not needed by the target role respond to enquiries skill
- not needed by the target role train employees skill
- not needed by the target role update procedure instructions skill
- not needed by the target role use X-ray machines skill
- not needed by the target role use different communication channels skill
- not needed by the target role write situation reports skill
10 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice
Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.
- still to learn security threats required
- optional, not held alarm systems optional
- optional, not held explosives optional
- optional, not held legal requirements related to ammunition optional
- optional, not held security in commercial buildings optional
- optional, not held security in industrial buildings optional
- optional, not held check methods optional
- optional, not held criminal law optional
- optional, not held fire safety regulations optional
- optional, not held surveillance methods optional
Common questions about this move
Can an airport security officer become a security guard?
Yes, and it is a substantial move. An airport security officer already covers 32% of what a security guard is expected to do: 13 skills carry over, 8 of which the security guard role treats as required.
What skills does an airport security officer need to become a security guard?
12 required skills are missing, plus 26 optional ones. They fall into 9 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by assisting and caring. The single most important is check tickets at venue entry.
How hard is the move from airport security officer to security guard?
Its learning distance is 72 out of 100, which is the substantial band. That accounts for both how much is missing and how specialised those skills are.
How this record was compiled
Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.