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Occupations / Security Officers And Guards

Security Officers and Guards

Security Officers and Guards provide security and investigative services to organisations and individuals.

Public safety & defenceLicensed workANZSCO 4422
$1,818/wkMedian full-time pay
67kPeople employed
+11% ▲Growth to 2035
78%Work full time
39Median age
Source: ABS · JSA, 2025-26ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) Labour Force via Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA), February 2026; ABS Employee Earnings and Hours May 2025; JSA Employment Projections, May 2025 base. ANZSCO 4422.More about our sources: How we check our facts

What they do

The main tasks of this occupation, from the national occupation standard.

patrolling property and checking doors, windows and gates for unauthorised entrywatching for irregularities such as fire hazards, malfunctions of machines and equipment, lights left on, leaking water pipes and unlocked security doorsissuing security passes to authorised visitors and giving directionsmonitoring alarms and contacting supervisors, police and fire brigades by radio or phone if security is breached or fire is detectedpicking up and ensuring the safe delivery of cash, payrolls and valuablesoperating coin and currency counting machines, and carrying out cash counting and packaging functions
Source: JSA occupation profileTask list from the Jobs and Skills Australia occupation profile for ANZSCO 4422 (ANZSCO task statements).More about our sources: How we check our facts

The outlook

Room for 6,900 more people in security officers and guards by 2035 ▲

The field grew 4% in the year to February 2026, adding about 2,600 workers. Most of the jobs are in NSW and VIC, with QLD third.

Source: JSA · ABS, 2025-26ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) Labour Force via Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA), February 2026; ABS Employee Earnings and Hours May 2025; JSA Employment Projections, May 2025 base. ANZSCO 4422.More about our sources: How we check our facts
65.3k2025
68.9k2030 PROJ.
72.2k2035 PROJ.

Getting in

There is no single way in. 36% trained through VET, 21% hold a degree.

Both paths are common in this field. These are the nationally recognised courses mapped to this occupation, with the number of registered training providers that offer each one.

Source: JSA · training.gov.auEducation split: JSA (Jobs and Skills Australia) occupation profile, using ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) Census data, ANZSCO 4422. Qualification mapping and provider counts: training.gov.au, the national register of vocational education, October 2026. Listed providers are current registered training providers (private providers and TAFE institutes).More about our sources: How we check our facts

Nationally recognised training · most offered first

CPP20218Certificate II

Certificate II in Security Operations

Property Services Training Package · licensed work.

See 114 providers
CPP31318Certificate III

Certificate III in Security Operations

Property Services Training Package · licensed work.

See 60 providers
CPP31418Certificate III

Certificate III in Close Protection Operations

Property Services Training Package · licensed work.

See 29 providers

Licensed work: several of these courses lead to work that also needs a state or territory licence. Training is the first step; licensing rules are set by each state.

See all 10 mapped courses
CPP20218Certificate II in Security Operations · 114 providers
CPP31318Certificate III in Security Operations · 60 providers
CPP31418Certificate III in Close Protection Operations · 29 providers
CPP40719Certificate IV in Security Management · 29 providers
CPP30619Certificate III in Investigative Services · 23 providers
CPP41519Certificate IV in Security Risk Analysis · 20 providers
CPP50619Diploma of Security Risk Management · 18 providers
PSP40316Certificate IV in Government Security · 11 providers
11376NATDiploma of Crowd Science and Technology · 1 provider
11346NATDiploma of Operational Safety · 1 provider

Providers are shown in A-Z order on each course page. A listing is not a recommendation.

Jobs open right now

67k Australians do this work. See who is hiring this month.

Search job ads by state

Each link opens seek.com.au in a new tab, showing ads posted in the last month. SEEK is a job site; we link there because that is where most Australian jobs are advertised. We have no commercial relationship with SEEK.

Source: ABS · JSA, 2025-26State chart shows people employed, not current job ads. ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) Labour Force via Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA), February 2026; ABS Employee Earnings and Hours May 2025; JSA Employment Projections, May 2025 base. ANZSCO 4422.More about our sources: How we check our facts

People employed by state, 2025-26

NSW17.2k
VIC15.7k
QLD14.6k
WA8.8k
SA5k
ACT1.9k
NT1.5k
TAS1k

Occupations near this one

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