Many ASIS Pittsburgh Chapter Members have asked me why get certified?  I respond by saying, “ I can think of three good reasons.”  The first is career change, second is professional growth and finally, my favorite, personal growth.

For those members that are transitioning from the public sector or the military, an ASIS certification will not only aid in that transition, but give the individual a solid foundation on which to build their private security career.  We have all met someone in the private security field that had a difficult time of leaving their past work in the public/military behind them.  Yes, we all could tell war stories about so and so doing this or that like they were still in the service or a public law enforcement official.  The point is, the approach to private security by its nature is different than that of public law enforcement or the military.   Your ASIS certification studies will assist you in this transition.

I have participated in several ASIS Pittsburgh Chapter sponsored training activities and can attest to the professional growth I experienced.  One major benefit to committing to obtaining an ASIS Certification (CPP, PCI or PSP) is that the journey is truly more beneficial than the final destination  Being a past participant in a chapter sponsored CPP Study Group really helped me increase my security knowledge.  As an “extra benefit” I made not only professional contacts but friends for life!

Finally, the personal growth was just fantastic. Yes, the exams are demanding endeavors, but if you apply yourself on your certification journey you will get out of it what you put into it.

Please feel free to contact me with any certification questions you may have. Good luck with your certification quests.