The woman working in the security industry is a significant asset. The security market is growing faster than many other industries. This means that there are great opportunities for success for women too, if they’ll work hard and stay focused on their goals.
Women are under-represented compared to their male colleagues. Until 2014, only 23% of the people working in the security sector were women. However, there has been a significant increase in the number of women entering the industry in recent years and there are several cases of women advancing to senior positions.
Security executives are now actively promoting the recruitment of women because they recognize the link between diversity and business success. Leading thinkers know that the security industry needs creative people. Women and men think differently and that is good. In addition, in recent years there has been significant organizational support for the recruitment, promotion and retention of women in the industry.
Over time we will see more and more women leading technological innovation in the security industry. This is because in society as a whole we see more and more women being educated in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Women work extremely well in teams and the success of any new project is the ability of team mates to understand and respond to the needs of the team. Diversity in a team brings greater creativity and new approaches.
Training & Education is the cornerstone of the security industry and therefore, there are many opportunities for women to continue their education. Having a strong training culture improves a company’s credentials and market reliability significantly. Most security companies offer various types of training, such as on-the-job training, customer service skills training, and management training to prepare the next generation. Sometimes this training is offered internally and some other times it is external. Either way, being a woman in the security industry today is definitely an advantage, because the number of opportunities for continuous education exceeds those of other industries.
Working in the security industry is a great choice for today’s woman. Yes, there are far more men than women working in the security industry. Yes, there is still an executive power imbalance in some companies. However, the pace of change in the industry is exponential and this rate of change can be exploited to the benefit of women who want to take advantage of it. As new technology is introduced, stay on top of research. See if you can spot trends in technology. Learn all you can about robots, drones, biometrics and artificial intelligence. Investigate potential customers. Understand what drives them to their markets. What trends do they see? How do the risks and threats to their environment change? If you constantly think about possible and proactive ways through which you can solve your customers’ problems, you will succeed. The more knowledge you have in any job, the more powerful your position and presence in any organization will be. John F. Kennedy Jr. he once said: “Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or the present will certainly miss the future. ”
It is certainly everyone’s responsibility to promote gender diversity in the security industry. Successful organizations are different organizations. Encouraging women brings innovation. Women are very careful in what they do. Managers need to be educated about the importance of gender diversity and must be given the tools they need to lead to change.
Tip for women: Do not adjust the ways you behave to impress your male colleagues. These differences are the element that will lead you to success. Embrace these differences and challenge the prevailing views and attitudes. Support your female colleagues on the road. The results will justify your choices.
