A place for old men?

February 2017 News & Events

I received an interesting email from someone in the industry recently lamenting the lack of young people involved in the security world. The individual was concerned that the vast majority of the people involved in security associations and leading security teams and/or companies were way over 40 years old – most of them over the 50 mark.

So where are the young people these days? The security industry is an enormous employer in South Africa, but are all the companies and associations really populated and run by older people?

It stands to reason that before becoming involved in associations and companies, someone would need to gain some experience in the industry. But wouldn’t networking and being involved in the background activities of the industry give younger people more options in terms of expanding their horizons?

Is it perhaps that physical security isn’t the cool place to be? While there are good margins to be made in certain areas, other areas are fiercely competitive with tight margins unless you are willing to cheat your employees and customers. Is that the reason for the lack of younger industry leaders – there’s more money in other industries or sectors?

Could the problem be that there are younger people getting involved, but they see no benefit in becoming part of industry associations because they feel there is no real value to them at the end of the day? There are some associations that exist for the sake of existing, but there are also many that are focused on their sector of the market, or the market as a whole and are working to improve the industry, the service it delivers and its overall image.

As we have seen on many occasions, the industry needs associations to set the standards and speak to government to ensure everyone gets a fair deal. Without them, those who work in security and those who rely on their services and support will find themselves constantly neglected or taken advantage of by unscrupulous operators.

PSiRA will be embarking on a transformation drive during this year and the industry needs to be able to engage and find common ground. One company can’t do it alone and we therefore need organisations and associations that fairly represent the industry and its various segments.

Relying on the benefit that security is a must-have in South Africa and therefore a grudge purchase only results in price wars and poor service. If the customer does not see the value in spending money they will always opt for the cheapest quote – just look at the CCTV industry for proof of this.

It’s only by everyone working together that the industry can improve its image by ensuring standards in skills and services. So what is the route to getting more people, and the younger generations specifically, involved beyond their own jobs or businesses? The industry needs the experience of the old and the passion and vision of the young to move everyone forward.

Andrew Seldon

Editor



Credit(s)




Share this article:
Share via emailShare via LinkedInPrint this page



Further reading:

Highest increase in global cyberattacks in two years
Information Security News & Events
Check Point Global Research released new data on Q2 2024 cyber-attack trends, noting a 30% global increase in Q2 2024, with Africa experiencing the highest average weekly per organisation.

Read more...
From the editor's desk: Showtime for Securex
Technews Publishing News & Events
We have once again reached the time of year when the security industry focuses on Securex. This issue includes a short preview, with more coming online and via our special Securex Preview news briefs. ...

Read more...
Chubbsafes celebrates 190 years
Gunnebo Safe Storage Africa News & Events Security Services & Risk Management
Chubbsafes marks its 190th anniversary in 2025 and as a highlight of the anniversary celebrations it is launching the Chubbsafes 1835, a limited edition 190th-anniversary collector’s safe.

Read more...
Suprema unveils BioStar Air
Suprema neaMetrics News & Events Access Control & Identity Management Infrastructure
Suprema launches BioStar Air, the first cloud-based access control platform designed to natively support biometric authentication and feature true zero-on-premise architecture. BioStar Air simplifies deployment and scales effortlessly to secure SMBs, multi-branch companies, and mixed-use buildings.

Read more...
New law enforcement request portal
News & Events Security Services & Risk Management
inDrive launches law enforcement request portal in South Africa to support safety investigations. New portal allows authorised South African law enforcement officials to securely request user data related to safety incidents.

Read more...
Igniting standards, powering protection
Securex South Africa News & Events Fire & Safety
Fire safety is more than compliance, it is a critical commitment to protecting lives, assets, and infrastructure. At Firexpo 2025, taking place from 3 to 5 June at Gallagher Convention Centre, that commitment takes centre stage.

Read more...
Digitising security solutions with AI and smart integration
Regal Security Distributors SA Technews Publishing Integrated Solutions
The Regal Projects Team’s decades of experience and commitment to integration have brought the digital security guard to life as a trusted force for safer, smarter living.

Read more...
The rise of AI-powered cybercrime and defence
Information Security News & Events AI & Data Analytics
Check Point Software Technologies launched its inaugural AI Security Report, offering an in-depth exploration of how cybercriminals are weaponising artificial intelligence (AI), alongside strategic insights defenders need to stay ahead.

Read more...
From the editor's desk: We’ve only just begun
Technews Publishing News & Events
The surveillance market has expanded far beyond the analogue days of just recording and/or monitoring screens. The capabilities of surveillance technology today extend to black screen monitoring with ...

Read more...
The future of the surveillance channel
Duxbury Networking Technews Publishing Elvey Security Technologies SMART Security Solutions Surveillance
The video surveillance market has evolved from camera-based specifications to integrated solutions that solve customers’ problems. Moreover, the growth of AI and cloud has changed the channel even more, with more to come.

Read more...