Security guard to infantry soldier
A security guard already meets 41% of what the infantry soldier role asks for. The move turns on 7 required skills not yet in the profile.
55.2/ 100
1 How much of what an infantry soldier is expected to do is already part of a security guard’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 infantry soldier role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.
Why this move works
An infantry soldier role treats 5 of its required skills as things a security guard already does. You would walk in with these on day one.
- ensure compliance with types of weapons
- ensure public safety and security
- handle surveillance equipment
- identify security threats
- surveillance methods
What stands in the way is 7 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. An infantry soldier role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a security guard background worth leading with.
- already held control crowd assisting and caring
- already held detain offenders assisting and caring
- already held restrain individuals assisting and caring
- already held legal use-of-force business, administration and law
- already held patrol areas assisting and caring
- already held practice vigilance assisting and caring
All 13 carried skills, including the 5 the infantry soldier role treats as required.
Table 3 · What you may need to learn
The 19 missing skills fall into 8 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 military combat techniques required
- still to learn military drill required
- optional, not held law enforcement optional
- optional, not held military code optional
- optional, not held military weaponry optional
- still to learn perform military operations required
- still to learn provide humanitarian aid required
- optional, not held respond to enquiries optional
- optional, not held use personal protection equipment optional
- still to learn execute working instructions required
- still to learn use different communication channels required
- still to learn camouflage required
- optional, not held perform covert investigations optional
- optional, not held read maps optional
- optional, not held undertake inspections optional
- optional, not held assist in ship maintenance optional
- optional, not held execute vehicle maintenance optional
2 further areas in the appendix
Table 4 · Where to start
The 3 entries an infantry soldier role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.
- 01 camouflage study this
- 02 execute working instructions practise this
- 03 military combat techniques study 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 ensure compliance with types of weapons skill
- already held ensure public safety and security skill
- already held handle surveillance equipment skill
- already held identify security threats skill
- already held surveillance methods knowledge
- already held control crowd skill
- already held detain offenders skill
- already held legal use-of-force knowledge
- already held operate radio equipment skill
- already held patrol areas skill
- already held practice vigilance skill
- already held provide first aid skill
- already held restrain individuals skill
The 2 learning areas not shown above
- optional, not held first aid optional
- optional, not held operate armoured fighting vehicles optional
12 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
- optional, not held perform covert investigations optional
- optional, not held assist in ship maintenance optional
- optional, not held execute vehicle maintenance optional
- optional, not held first aid optional
- optional, not held law enforcement optional
- optional, not held military code optional
- optional, not held military weaponry optional
- optional, not held operate armoured fighting vehicles optional
- optional, not held read maps optional
- optional, not held respond to enquiries optional
- optional, not held undertake inspections optional
- optional, not held use personal protection equipment optional
38 held skills the infantry soldier role does not ask for
- not needed by the target role alarm systems knowledge
- not needed by the target role carry out security activities with a dog skill
- not needed by the target role check methods knowledge
- not needed by the target role check official documents skill
- not needed by the target role check tickets at venue entry skill
- not needed by the target role comply with the principles of self-defence skill
- not needed by the target role conduct airport security screening skill
- not needed by the target role criminal law knowledge
- not needed by the target role deal with aggressive behaviour skill
- not needed by the target role document security incidents in the store skill
- not needed by the target role ensure hotel security skill
- not needed by the target role ensure law application skill
- not needed by the target role ensure security on ships skill
- not needed by the target role ensure store security skill
- not needed by the target role execute inspection walkway skill
- not needed by the target role exercise security in hospitals skill
- not needed by the target role explosives knowledge
- not needed by the target role fire safety regulations knowledge
- not needed by the target role identify terrorism threats skill
- not needed by the target role illegal substances knowledge
- not needed by the target role inspect cargo skill
- not needed by the target role interrogate individuals skill
- not needed by the target role legal requirements related to ammunition knowledge
- not needed by the target role liaise with security authorities skill
- not needed by the target role maintain facility security systems skill
- not needed by the target role manage lost and found articles skill
- not needed by the target role manage major incidents skill
- not needed by the target role monitor parking areas to maintain security skill
- not needed by the target role monitor surveillance equipment skill
- not needed by the target role perform body searches skill
- not needed by the target role perform security checks skill
- not needed by the target role provide door security skill
- not needed by the target role provide security in detention centres skill
- not needed by the target role regulate traffic skill
- not needed by the target role security in commercial buildings knowledge
- not needed by the target role security in industrial buildings knowledge
- not needed by the target role security threats knowledge
- not needed by the target role stay alert skill
7 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 camouflage required
- still to learn military combat techniques required
- still to learn military drill required
- optional, not held first aid optional
- optional, not held law enforcement optional
- optional, not held military code optional
- optional, not held military weaponry optional
Other moves recorded from security guard
- security guard supervisor 67% covered · moderate
- door supervisor 66% covered · moderate
- gate guard 66% covered · moderate
- hand luggage inspector 65% covered · moderate
- crowd controller 62% covered · moderate
- store detective 60% covered · moderate
- bodyguard 60% covered · moderate
- security alarm investigator 48% covered · moderate
Common questions about this move
Can a security guard become an infantry soldier?
Yes, and it is a substantial move. A security guard already covers 41% of what an infantry soldier is expected to do: 13 skills carry over, 5 of which the infantry soldier role treats as required.
What skills does a security guard need to become an infantry soldier?
7 required skills are missing, plus 12 optional ones. They fall into 8 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by services. The single most important is camouflage.
How hard is the move from security guard to infantry soldier?
Its learning distance is 55.2 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.