Roy Cooper, Managing Director of Professional Security Magazine, offers his takeaways for the security industry as we come towards the end of 2022.
My view of 2022? On a personal note, it’s been a welcome return to such everyday things as going out and meeting people, and gathering at industry events such as IFSEC and our own smaller Security TWENTY events. It’s all these things that we took for granted until the pandemic, and then all of a sudden… they were gone, and we were working from home, social distancing and isolating ourselves!
COVID has not gone away, of course, and remains an issue for many.
As for the threats and risks out there, they’ve only continued – and have become greater, if anything. Though surely it was always like this? Security managers have always had to be savvy, and won’t necessarily have all the budget that they would like.
Things never stand still in this industry. There’s always a new standard or guideline in development, or a new neighbour or local police inspector to befriend, or a new product or gizmo to assess (if you’ve got the budget to upgrade!).
It’s also worth noting that the make-up of the security and fire sector is never static – people are joining and leaving for any number of reasons all the time. That’s a good thing because we need the talent pipeline to stay open, and security is competing with other services for recruits.
There are challenges though that will take time to even out. The pandemic did mean that some left, and some joined, and some were on furlough and their skills and contacts got rusty.
My advice if you are in the industry or thinking of moving sideways or up is to make yourself as informed as you possibly can. I would say that, wouldn’t I? But there are so many ways, online and in person, you can do that.
I can say one thing for sure from all my years in the industry, there’s good people out there who will advise and even mentor you, but no-one else will progress your career for you, except you! Which brings me back to my original point about life after COVID, we’ve all felt the gains from Zoom, but you cannot beat that personal touch.
Join Roy and the Professional Security team at their last Security TWENTY 22 event of the year on 2nd and 3rd November! Taking place at the Radisson Red Hotel, Heathrow, a charity fundraising dinner will take place on the evening of the 2nd November, and join the event the next day on the 3rd.
Register for Security Twenty 22 London, here >>
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