Education · 1 of 4

The path

This is the shortest path on this whole site. Weeks, not years.

1. 1

   High school or an equivalency

   Grades 11 and 12

   Most employers want a diploma or a GED (a high school equivalency credential). Some do not require either.

2. 2

   Decide armed or unarmed

   A decision, not a step

   Unarmed is faster, cheaper and far more common. Armed needs a separate permit, more training and usually a minimum age of 21.

3. 3

   State registration

   2 to 8 weeks

   Take the required training course, submit fingerprints for a criminal background check, pay the fee and receive your guard registration.

4. 4

   Get hired and learn the site

   First months

   Post orders, patrol routes, access control, incident reports and radio procedure. Your first month is mostly learning one building.

5. 5

   Move up or move over

   Year 2 onward

   Shift supervisor, account manager, in-house corporate security, or use the experience to apply to police, corrections or federal work.