How to become a security guard
Official title: Security guards
Also called: Bodyguard, Doorkeeper, Museum guard, Security guard, Security patrolman/woman, Watchman/woman
Security guards patrol or monitor premises to guard property against theft and vandalism. They control access to establishments and maintain order and enforce regulations at public events and within establishments.
Main tasks
- Patrolling premises and checking doors, windows and gates to prevent and detect signs of unauthorized entry
- Controlling access to establishments, monitoring and authorizing the entrance or departure of employees and visitors, checking identification and issuing security passes
- Circulating among visitors, patrons or employees to preserve order, protect property from theft or vandalism and enforce the regulations of the establishment
- Responding to alarms, investigating disturbances and contacting superiors, police or firefighters as appropriate
- Performing security checks of passengers and luggage at airports
- Picking up and ensuring the safe delivery of cash and valuables to banks, automated teller machines and retail establishments
Ways in
- Qualifications Framework: Vocational Qualifications Pathway: Security Services. The Qualifications Framework publishes a Vocational Qualifications Pathway for the Security Services industry (保安服務業), showing QF-recognised qualifications by level: https://www.hkqf.gov.hk/security/en/vqp. Link between the industry and this job by Peernovo.
Pay · Outlook · AI and this job
- Median pay: HK$16,500 a month
- About 732,700 people in 2025, and about 740,500 projected by 2028. (+1.1%)
- Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.
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Questions people ask
How do I become a security guard?
Ways in include: Vocational Qualifications Pathway: Security Services.
Do you need a degree to become a security guard?
Usually not. Only 9% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Vocational Qualifications Pathway: Security Services.
Will AI change the work of a security guard?
Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.
Sources
- Census and Statistics Department (2021 Population Census): 2021 Population Census, Interactive Data Dissemination Service: working population by occupation (38 groups) and sex, age, education, income; median income and field of education (9 groups) (2021 Population Census), retrieved 4 October 2026
- Census and Statistics Department (General Household Survey): Median monthly employment earnings by occupation (9 groups), excluding foreign domestic helpers (Table 210-06317A); employed persons by occupation, age and sex (210-06307A) and by industry (210-06308A) (2025 annual (series to 2026-07)), retrieved 4 October 2026
- Census and Statistics Department (Annual Earnings and Hours Survey): Monthly and hourly wage percentiles by occupational group (5 groups) (Tables 220-23014, 220-23024, 220-23003) (2025 (May to June 2025), released 2026-03-23), retrieved 4 October 2026
- Labour and Welfare Bureau; tables published by C&SD: Mid-term Update of Manpower Projection to 2028: supplementary statistical tables (5 occupation groups, 17 selected industries) (2025 to 2028 (published 2026-09)), retrieved 4 October 2026
- International Labour Organization, Generative AI and Jobs: A Refined Global Index of Occupational Exposure (ILO Working Paper 140, Gmyrek et al.) (ILO Working Paper 140, May 2025, Annex Table A1), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 4 October 2026
Updated 4 October 2026