Arran is an SIA licensed door supervisor based in Manchester. He is the UK OSPAs 2023 Outstanding Young Security Professional. Arran shares how he progressed from starting off working part-time in security at university, to being his company’s regional manager for the north of England.
I started working in private security 8 years ago when studying for my degree at Manchester Metropolitan University. The company I work for now had a student sponsorship programme offering part-time work around my studies. I signed up with a few of my mates from rugby, working on the doors at pubs and clubs, and doing security at festivals and events.
I absolutely loved it. It was so much better than stacking shelves. After I graduated, I moved back home for a few years. Then I returned to Manchester as a manager for the same security company. After 6 months I was promoted. Now I have a team of managers and supervisors underneath me.
I’m a rugby player, so quite a competitive person. I want my teams to be the best – whether that’s the best venue on the street, or best internal region. They work in a huge variety of places: bars, offices and high end retail. My job is to make sure everything is set up properly – the systems, the planning, the risk assessments. I also have client meetings to make sure we are providing a quality service.
On a night out, you simply see someone standing there. What you don’t realise is there’s a lot of work behind the scenes to decide where an officer is and what they are doing. It’s not just about keeping my staff safe, it’s about making sure the public are protected. Plans can quickly change, so no two days are the same.
When I first took on this job, it was a big challenge as my region was struggling to staff sites and motivate employers after the pandemic. You can be a manager who sits behind a desk, but that’s not for me. I came in as team player to work alongside people on shift and listen to their concerns. It proved I was there to help and built respect with colleagues.
I’m proud that my region now has good staff engagement and happy clients. Winning at the UK OSPAs has motivated me to do even better. You sometimes see in sport that a team wins one season, and in the next they drop the ball. I don’t want that to be my story. So you’ll still find me doing a stint on shift now and again, encouraging my teams to be the best.
I’m really motivated by helping my managers to progress. Sadly, some people still think security officers are scary lads with not much knowledge. That’s incorrect in my experience. My managers can deal with any situation, thanks to their training, knowledge and customer service skills. My advice to anyone starting out in security is to find a company that works in different sectors, try them all to build your skills and see which excites you. Above all, don’t be afraid to ask questions.