security guard

Demand for Security Guards, Cybersecurity Workers Remains High Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

Security companies are scrambling to hire guards and IT workers as businesses worry about break-ins to closed properties and cybersecurity issues associated with working remotely.

With more than 20 million Americans becoming unemployed in just the past four weeks due to the COVID-19 crisis, security companies have actually taken steps to expand their workforce thanks to increased demand for security guards and cybersecurity employees.

Business owners across the country are concerned about leaving their properties unmanned during widespread lockdowns amid fears of an uptick in crime. Security companies are responding to the increase in demand for these essential workers.

Allied Universal announced its intention to hire more than 30,000 security professionals nationwide over the next two months this week. And Securitas said on Tuesday that it is planning to add nearly 1,000 security guard jobs in California in addition to its existing workforce of 15,000, according to CBS SF Bay Area.

“It is becoming increasingly common for our clients to request our assistance in supporting their own emergency management efforts, such as guarding hospitals, healthcare facilities, clinics and grocery stores,” Kimberly Carson, the vice president of human resources for the Securitas Pacific Region, said in a statement. “These organizations need security services assistance from our first responder security officers.”

Citiguard, another security services provider in California, is planning to add 500 guards in the Los Angeles area. Sami Nomair, the president of the company, told CBS Los Angeles that demand has been “really high for hospitals for security services.”

“Urgent Cares have added extra security services,” Nomair said. “We’ve gotten calls where people have been robbed. We had a call that just came in yesterday from a client of ours in Irvine that had 15 golf carts stolen.”

There is also still high demand for cybersecurity workers, who are also considered essential amid a wave of employees shifting to working from home. A CyberVista report published on Thursday noted that the global economic depression has spared “very few sectors,” but that it appears many organizations are still actively seeking cybersecurity talent. According to LinkedIn statistics, approximately 261,545 cybersecurity jobs were posted on the site within the past 30 days, including positions in the IT and financial services sectors.

Companies were already struggling to close a major cybersecurity jobs gap, but the pandemic has only exacerbated the need for cybersecurity skills, according to CyberVista.

“The sudden shift to remote and distance work created a dire need for cybersecurity professionals to secure networks, technology, and personnel activity,” the report reads. “One of the most efficient ways for organizations to keep up with shifting personnel profiles is to turn their talent hunt inward and upskill or reskill existing employees. This is an ideal opportunity for these organizations to identify alternative sources of talent that could be reskilled into cybersecurity roles.”

CyberVista researchers also noted that the massive toll of the pandemic may lead unemployed Americans to explore cybersecurity careers in a way they may never have considered.

“Like other times of economic disruption and dislocation, this is also an opportunity for individuals looking to switch careers or break into the cybersecurity industry,” the report reads. “Evidence and experience has shown that some of the best cybersecurity profiles start out with the same skills that would lead to success across a myriad of positions: self-motivation, critical thinking, interpersonal communication, and other ‘soft’ skills.”

About the Author

Haley Samsel is an Associate Content Editor for the Infrastructure Solutions Group at 1105 Media.

Featured

  • Meeting Modern Demands

    Door hardware and access control continue to be at the forefront of innovation within the security industry, continuously evolving to meet the dynamic needs of commercial spaces. Read Now

  • Leveraging IoT and Open Platform VMS for a Connected Future

    The evolution of urban environments is being reshaped by the convergence of Internet of Things (IoT) technology and open platform VMS. As cities worldwide grapple with growing populations and increasing operational complexities, these integrated technologies are emerging as powerful tools for creating more livable, efficient, and secure urban spaces. Read Now

  • Securing the Future

    Two security experts sit down with Security Today’s editor in chief Ralph C. Jensen to discuss what they see emerging and changing over the next several years along with how security stakeholders can harness these innovations into opportunities. Read Now

  • Collaboration Made Easy Using a Work Management Platform

    Effective collaboration between security operators, teams and other departments is critical to the smooth functioning of organizations. Yet, as organizations grow in complexity, it becomes more difficult for teams to coordinate with each other. This is compounded by staffing shortages, turnover and ineffective collaboration tools. Read Now

  • Creating a Safer World

    Managing and supporting locks and door hardware within a facility is a big responsibility. A building’s security needs to change over time as occupancy and use demands evolve, which can make it even more challenging. Read Now

New Products

  • Unified VMS

    AxxonSoft introduces version 2.0 of the Axxon One VMS. The new release features integrations with various physical security systems, making Axxon One a unified VMS. Other enhancements include new AI video analytics and intelligent search functions, hardened cybersecurity, usability and performance improvements, and expanded cloud capabilities

  • ResponderLink

    ResponderLink

    Shooter Detection Systems (SDS), an Alarm.com company and a global leader in gunshot detection solutions, has introduced ResponderLink, a groundbreaking new 911 notification service for gunshot events. ResponderLink completes the circle from detection to 911 notification to first responder awareness, giving law enforcement enhanced situational intelligence they urgently need to save lives. Integrating SDS’s proven gunshot detection system with Noonlight’s SendPolice platform, ResponderLink is the first solution to automatically deliver real-time gunshot detection data to 911 call centers and first responders. When shots are detected, the 911 dispatching center, also known as the Public Safety Answering Point or PSAP, is contacted based on the gunfire location, enabling faster initiation of life-saving emergency protocols.

  • AC Nio

    AC Nio

    Aiphone, a leading international manufacturer of intercom, access control, and emergency communication products, has introduced the AC Nio, its access control management software, an important addition to its new line of access control solutions.