Progressive path: From ground patrol to tech-driven operations

When Sivamani Taigrajan joined the security industry in 2005, she was one of a handful of women in what was then a male-dominated field.

At the time, security was not seen as an attractive career option, especially for women – the long hours, physical demands, and perception of it being a “retirement job” kept many away.

But Siva saw beyond these challenges.

“I was inspired by my dad. He asked me to join an industry that we can showcase ourselves and improve our lives as well, because back then security wasn’t a respectful job for anyone,” she said.

Having worked in telemarketing and administrative roles before, the move to security meant stepping into unfamiliar territory.

With no prior experience and facing the prospect of 12-hour shifts six days a week, many thought she was “crazy” to make the switch.

But Siva was drawn to the opportunity to make a difference in keeping people and property safe.

Early days

Her first posting at the Singapore Science Centre proved to be an invaluable training ground.

“As a woman, it was quite difficult. A lot of things were done manually – you need to handle power trips, do patrolling, and it involves a lot of physical strength,” Siva shared.

The Science Centre’s dynamic environment, with its constant flow of visitors and regular exhibition changeovers, presented unique challenges.

“When contractors come in, we might have like 100 over contractors because the Science Centre is an exhibition place. You need to tear down the exhibition, bring up new exhibitions, so each and every contractor you have to manually clear,” said Siva.

“Each of us had different kinds of handwriting, some writing we can’t even read,” she said with a chuckle.

“You have to report incidents at the right location ... all these things must be accurate.”

A Turning Point

The security sector underwent a significant transformation with the Progressive Wage Model (PWM) implementation. Under the PWM, security officers saw their wages increase substantially – from a minimum wage of $1,650 in 2023 to $2,650 in 2024, with further increases planned to reach $3,530 by 2028.

But the PWM offered more than just better pay – it created clear career progression pathways tied to training and skills upgrading.

For security officers like Siva, this meant opportunities to learn new technologies and take on supervisory roles.

“I want to climb the ladder and show how much you can learn in the security industry. I want to show a good example to others that we can do so much in the security line,” Siva said.

Her dedication to upgrading paid off.

From earning about $45 for a 12-hour shift in 2005, Siva now draws more than $3,000 monthly as a supervisor. The journey involved completing numerous courses in supervision, crowd control, and command centre operations.

“Pay plays a part, but for me, overall, it’s the image of the industry. I’m very proud to be a security officer,” she said.

Command Centre Leader

In May 2024, Siva took on a new challenge at her client's Integrated Command Centre.

This role exemplifies how far the industry has evolved – from manual logbooks to sophisticated digital systems that help prevent incidents before they occur.

“All these systems speak to each other. In case there’s any high risk of threat, immediately we can alert people. The response is effective. We can show we are very productive with the technology,” she explained.

Instead of manually logging visitor details, today’s security operations use visitor management systems that scan IDs and automatically record entry and exit times.

CCTV surveillance, access control systems, and artificial intelligence help predict and prevent security incidents.

Changing Industry Landscape

“Compared to last time when they see just officers standing there doing nothing, now with their tablets, the image is up there,” Siva explained.

“They feel like, ‘Oh, even security, they can do this kind of job.’ They can multitask, they can immediately find where your missing car is. The image has changed, and they feel respect for the officers.”

This transformation has created new opportunities, particularly for women.

“It’s a good career path for them because they think security officers just do manual work. No, we actually have different opportunities for them. They can do concierge work, they can do operator jobs like in the command centre.

“So you need to be more mentally involved compared to physically involved,” she said.

“When my friends see me going for all these courses, they are excited. They want to find out more about security.”

Looking Forward

After nearly 20 years in security, Siva is not done growing.

Her next ambition? Becoming a trainer.

“There are a lot of people who are slow learners, so you really need the patience to teach them, because they can be excellent workers,” said Siva.

She sees this as her way of giving back to an industry that has given her so much.

“Security industry is not a lazy man’s job. It’s a more advanced technology job. If you want to join, you can see the advanced technology, different companies have different technology. So you have to join the right company to learn and actually climb up the ladder,” she said.

Her journey from manual record keeping to managing high-tech command centres shows how the PWM has not only raised wages but transformed security work into a professional career with real prospects.

For Siva, it is proof that with the right support and determination, security can be a rewarding career path for anyone willing to embrace change and continuous learning.

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