Hi, 

 

As I'm new to the forum, I'm interested in what brought you to the security industry?

Did you go straight from school into an apprenticeship or did you enter it some other way?

 

I started out as an auto electrician for à few years then ended up getting laid off when the company lost its main contact.

Through my old manager I ended up starting with a small security company where I then served my time.

 

For those of you who now work for yourself/own your own company, would you do it again if you had the opportunity to do so now or would you choose a different path?

 

Grant

Started as a sparks and moved to a company with electrical and fire/intruder/access arms.

Worked as service/breakdown for both sides for many years.

Continued to go between approved sparks and fire related jobs ever since.

Now work for Sovereign doing all the above plus AOV.

I keep all my training up to date so I can carry on deciding which area to work in but electrical or alarms install in domestic is my pet dislike!

I applied for a job and got it, it wasnt what I originally set out to to do, I spent my time in college learning electronics and after being made redundant in my first job R&D for an electronic co I spent some time as a postman. I then started my first business which I dissolved before it went bang due to the depression in the 80's and took a job in a plastic factory. I saw a job advertised for security engineer and took it, I could back then find a fault at component level and repair PCBs but I couldnt now the components are much smaller. I used to fix TV's and stuff all the time, nobody ever does that nowadays its far more expensive to pay a man four a couple of hours compared to the price of a new one.

 

Left school , didn't fancy college

 

Wanted an apprenticeship at telephones or the regional electricity co. (3 places 100's of applicants ) 

 

Had choice of couple of YTS placements, did "electronic serving" & got basic nvq

 

ended up labouring for my dad & was silly enough to stop....

 

 

Started from school as an apprentice electrician. Then got laid off as soon as I qualified. (Normal practice for them, just want cheap labour)

 

I then got offered a place at the security company where I currently work who were happy to train me and send me to college etc while still paying a decent wage. Definitely best thing I've done.

 

I get a lot more satisfaction from installing a monitored alarm than I do from fitting lights and sockets. Although I hate domestic!

I left school early, couldn’t be bothered with it. Didn’t do any exams and came out with no qualifications whatsoever. Did 2 years at a local plastics fabrication company, hated that but was a paying job. Whilst at the plastics company, they had a local company installing an Abacus system, I got talking to the installer called Graham, never forget that.. The following week I went out and purchased a Logic 4 and a few detectors and stuff,  I learned everything from there, Started my own business in 1993, 25 years later I’m still here... I love the industry and the job, I don’t think I could do anything else now.

On 04/02/2018 at 11:58, PSE said:

I left school early, couldn’t be bothered with it. Didn’t do any exams and came out with no qualifications whatsoever. Did 2 years at a local plastics fabrication company, hated that but was a paying job. Whilst at the plastics company, they had a local company installing an Abacus system, I got talking to the installer called Graham, never forget that.. The following week I went out and purchased a Logic 4 and a few detectors and stuff,  I learned everything from there, Started my own business in 1993, 25 years later I’m still here... I love the industry and the job, I don’t think I could do anything else now.

 

That's good going PSE, nice one! Are you SSAIB/NSI approved?

 

Nice to hear all the other stories too.

 

Why do you hate doing domestics KWCFC/luggsey?

 

I quite like doing the odd domestic, although you always get the odd nightmare customer you can never please. 

I enjoy doing commercials too.

 

 

Grant

6 hours ago, grantc said:

 

That's good going PSE, nice one! Are you SSAIB/NSI approved?

 

 

Yes, We’re SSAIB Accredited for Intruder, CCTV & Access

I came from a satellite/Aerial/AV background and originally got into cctv from having to distribute the signals when people had it on there tv's. Then when the digital switchover happened got more into it, started installing intruder alarms this year so just trying to get as much experience with that currently. Also very intrigued with door entry and access so will see what the future holds.

Edited October 15, 20187 yr by Ray phillips