Baktee
Security agency Soverus Group launched on 13 June 2016 a new scheme that allows its security officers to pursue other career tracks laterally within Soverus’ diversified line of business.
Called the Soverus’ Security Specialist Vocation Scheme (SSVS), the initiative gives traditional security officers training opportunities to move to diverse potential career tracks in areas such as security guarding, executive protection, events security, security systems integration, security consultancy, cyber security, security software engineering and command centre operations.
According to Secura Group, Soverus’ parent company, the scheme serves as an exemplary model in the security industry and will help to elevate the security profession as a viable career.
A First of its Kind
In addition to the launch, Soverus also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Union of Security Employees (USE) to co-develop a Progressive Wage Model (PWM) for the specialised career tracks within the company.
Under the MOU, the PWM will centre on the skills and knowledge requirements for each rank, a starting basic wage and the progressive ranks for each specialised track.
At the signing, USE President Hareenderpal Singh said: “This signing opens up opportunities for security officers who are looking to progress beyond doing traditional security work.
“In the long run, the demand for security officers will continue to exceed supply. So we need to move away from the traditional way of doing security work and instead, look at how we can make the security industry become more technology-based."
There are currently around 43,000 active security officers and according to an estimate by the union, the industry needs at least 25 per cent more officers to meet demand.
To expand the specialist track in the industry, Mr Singh said that USE will continue to work with like-minded security agencies that have a technological arm and will soon bring discussions to the Security Tripartite Cluster.
Source: NTUC This Week
