05 Sep, 2022
Executive Employment Forum - Defence, Security & Intelligence
The civilian jobs market is changing rapidly, with employers expecting new hires to be more agile, entrepreneurial and…
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Aviation security staff deal with air rage, drunkenness, assault, smuggling and crime, as well as the threat of national and international terrorism. Are you ready to meet one of the toughest challenges of our times?
Heightened security continues to make the headlines – and to irritate passengers. The threat posed by knives and other relatively unsophisticated weapons has increased the number of potentially lethal items being found at airports. Other current security concerns include stowaways, espionage, people-trafficking, illegal immigration, theft, sabotage, hijack and environmental protests.
The primary objective of aviation security is to safeguard passengers, crew, ground personnel and the general public against acts of unlawful interference perpetrated in flight or within the confines of an airport. Aviation security officers have two broad responsibilities:
• The average salary for an aviation security officer in the UK is £25,000.
• The average salary for an aviation security manager in the UK is £50,000.
As well as the key attributes required of any security screener, the most significant difference between domestic security and aviation security lies in the use of technologies that support the underpinning knowledge, like X-ray machines, explosive detection techniques, biometrics, and more. Using such technology, all unknown cargo must be screened to ensure that it does not carry any prohibited articles. Known cargo is sent to the airline by a known consignor, which has been validated by an independent validator appointed by the Department for Transport (DfT). Unknown cargo has to be screened and cleared by a regulated agent or airline before it is permitted to fly.
The RAF specialises in passenger and cargo aviation – and the accompanying rigorous security. As you’ll no doubt be only too well aware, most Service people spend a great deal of their lives thinking about, planning and implementing security in a variety of environments, and so will already have a great deal of experience in this field. Part of basic and more advanced training in some parts of the Forces is the accumulation of units leading to Security National and Scottish Vocational Qualifications (N/SVQs).
The personal qualities for which people are selected, and which are then developed during military training, are highly relevant. Most Service people will possess many of the skills that security employers look for, and that are easily transferable to this sector:
Aviation security training may be roughly divided into five main groups:
Training is generally carried out by qualified instructors in large aviation companies or by a few specialist training providers for smaller organisations without this in-house capability. Students will usually be nominated for a course by their employer – depending on the role they are performing – and it is very unusual for somebody not employed in aviation security to attend a course. So the message is: find the job before attending the course. All students should be subject to criminal record and/or counter-terrorist checks.
Via its aviation security training, the DfT provides aircrew aviation security instructors with the necessary information to enable them to train flight and cabin crews on aviation security (details are published on its website). The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is responsible for developing, with industry, new or revised syllabuses for aviation security training, and submitting these to the DfT for approval. It also has responsibility for training aviation security instructors and managing the UK list of certified instructors. Full details of training courses, learning aids and approved training providers can be downloaded from this page of the CAA website.
Precise details of the programmes delivered by aviation organisations and different providers may vary but the following paragraphs give a general idea of likely course content.
Manager training is generally for people in management positions in airlines and airports. It is run within the industry (there are four training providers) with course content accredited by the DfT. Potential ground security staff instructors may also become qualified through this course, which should be a seven-day in-depth programme covering many aspects of aviation security management, including:
Instructor courses are of two types: air crew and ground crew. Both are run by the DfT, as noted above, although ground security staff instructors may also become qualified through attending manager training.
Cargo and in-flight supplies security training targets a number of different responsibilities, including:
Aircrew receive up to a day’s training, which covers in outline:
Ground security staff should receive a detailed programme covering all aspects of the security screening process and access control as required by national and local specifications. Course duration is typically between seven and ten working days, and usually hosted on-site with access to the relevant screening equipment. The course is taken by screeners and supervisors, and should cover such subjects as:
Ground security supervisors first qualify as security staff and then undergo a three-day course covering:
All people employed and who require an airside pass (whether they have a security role or a role in retail, cleaning, etc.) undergo a General Security Awareness Training Programme, including:
Ongoing training should include emergency procedures and annual refresher courses.
Under the ELC scheme, a wide range of learning can be taken, provided it is offered by an approved provider listed on the ELC website and is at level 3 or above. For full details of how to make the most of your ELC, refer to the in-depth features elsewhere on this website.
Airports, airlines, air cargo and in-flight supplies organisations and aviation security companies have their own recruitment systems, and applications should be made directly to the relevant organisation.
Further information should be obtained directly from potential employers. Those with the necessary instructional skills and previous aviation experience who wish to become instructors in this sector are advised to visit the DfT’s website
You can also contact the CAA to find out more about training provision:
The civilian jobs market is changing rapidly, with employers expecting new hires to be more agile, entrepreneurial and…
Following 22 years in the RAF, ex-Acting Wing Commander, Richard Saunders left in October 2015 to pursue a civilian career and gain a more stable work–life balance.
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