Dubai: According to American-based VSS Security Services, the security guard industry in the United States and globally is expected to trend upward in coming years.
“As security concerns in our country continue to escalate, there is more of a demand for security guards and effective security programs,” said the firm on its website. Gathering global data on the number of people employed worldwide in the security guard industry is difficult.
But VSS said that the “the US Bureau of Labour Statistics predicts ‘excellent overall job opportunities’ for security guards through the year 2024, with the employment rate growing at about five per cent. The BLS anticipates that the number of people employed as guards in the security industry in the US to reach 1.15 million by the year 2024.”
Spending in the industry on a global scale, “according to a report from the Freedonia Group … [was] predicted to rise to $244 billion in 2016. As the US remains the biggest consumer for security services, the spending will also increase; US spending on these services is estimated to climb five per cent to $68 billion annually by 2019.”
“Through the year 2019, it’s noted that security guard services will pull the largest share of overall US security spending, as reported by the Freedonia Group. Trained guards will remain the best way to provide an adequate deterrent to potentials unauthorised incursions and coordinate effective responses to unexpected events,” VSS Security Service said.
“This goes to show just how important trained security guards are, even in the midst of technology growing ever so rapidly. There’s nothing that can quite compare to the way human security guards can keep their environment safe and monitor each situation and respond so quickly to incidents.”
Growing security market in UAE
The UAE will see a growing security industry in coming years, said the US Commercial Service of the US Department of Commerce in a 2016 report on the sector.
“The country’s Safety and Security sector continues to be propelled by a growing and diverse array of initiatives including the launch of its civilian nuclear energy program, the scaling up of hydrocarbon extraction activities, the ongoing rollout of mega-projects such as the Midfield Terminal Complex at Abu Dhabi International Airport, and high profile events such as the Dubai Expo,” said the US Commerical Service in an online post.
“The UAE’s intensified focus on security is reflected in its spending and legislation. Ongoing economic growth, bolstered by continued activity in the commercial, shipping, property, financial and tourist sectors, means UAE Safety and Security budgets should continue to be robust. The country is expected to nearly double homeland security spending over the next decade, from $5.5 billion to more than $10 billion. And, new UAE legislation has either been passed or is under consideration to strengthen the UAE’s ability to protect critical infrastructure including nuclear power plants, oil and gas production facilities, water treatment and electricity facilities, and cyber security.”
