The sound of controlled instructions echoed through the training room as Lisa adjusted her stance, focused, and steady. In the middle of completing her security guard weapons training, Lisa took a break to speak about representation and why more women are needed in the security industry.
For many women, working in security is not their first choice — not because they aren’t interested in the sector, but because they often don’t see themselves represented within it. Lisa is helping to change that narrative.
Her career began in 2019, with her very first role at Wilson Security. Reflecting on her journey, she shares, “My very first employment was with Wilson Security, and throughout my career worked across multiple sites and companies. I’ve had a great time.”
Since then, she has built a diverse portfolio of experience. Holding a CPP20218 Certificate II in Security Operations right through to a postgraduate degree, now completing Armed Security Guard Weapons training. She is leading the charge and redefining what the industry looks like in a field still largely male-dominated.
She shares “Representation matters. When young women see other women in security, it shows them that strength, leadership and professionalism aren’t limited by gender.”
Security Guard Training for a Career with Impact
Many people enrol in a security guard course thinking it will lead to work at bars, pubs or large venues. While those roles exist, the career pathways are much broader.
Security professionals protect people from all backgrounds and genders and are often protecting Australia’s most vulnerable. When people think of Security Guards, they often think the work is at bars, pubs or large venues, but officers also play a critical role in protecting the vulnerable at shelters, schools, hospitals, and community spaces.
For Lisa, working at a women’s shelter was the highlight of her career. She says, “I had a wonderful time being there, not just protecting them, but also listening to their stories and being there when they needed me.”
This highlights that there are certain situations where female security officers are not just valuable but essential for roles where predominantly women and children need to be protected. Having more women working as a security guard or officer can be the difference between someone staying silent and someone speaking up. In environments where people may be at their most vulnerable, representation in security is not just symbolic; it makes people feel safe and protected.
The Role of a Security Officer in Australia Is Evolving
When working as a Security officer, situations can shift quickly. While physical readiness is important, the ability to de-escalate is one of the most critical skills in the industry.
Women in the field often bring a different perspective and communication skills, cultural awareness, and emotional intelligence, qualities that are essential when resolving or de-escalating situations.
When more women and people across gender, culture, and different backgrounds are included in these roles, safety becomes more inclusive, more approachable, and more effective.
When we asked Lisa whether she thinks security needs more diverse voices, she said “Absolutely. Diversity brings different perspectives, stronger communication, and better decision-making. The industry benefits when it reflects the community it protects.”
Lisa believes diversity is your strength: “Don’t let stereotypes hold you back. Your background is a strength, not your weakness. The industry needs different languages, culture and perspective.”
Like many women in traditionally male-dominated industries, Lisa admits she has, at times, been underestimated. “Sometimes people underestimate you at first. But once they see your professionalism and confidence, that perception changes quickly.”
Why Australia Needs More Women in Security
Currently, women make up only a 17% share of the workforce for Security Guards and Officers. At the same time, the industry body, ASIAL, has reported a decline of 330 licence holders in 2025. With the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games fast approaching, the demand for qualified security professionals will only grow. While, Australia needs more women in security to represent them, this could also support the move towards QLD increasing Security licence numbers. Increasing female participation in the industry is not just about representation, it is about readiness.
Security work can also suit parents, offering flexibility through evening, weekend and public holiday shifts that allow for non-traditional work schedules.
Whether you complete a security guard course or progress into advanced pathways such as Security guard weapons training, the industry offers structured career growth, leadership opportunities and stable employment.
A Message to Women Considering a Career in Security
If you are a women considering a career in Security, the industry needs you.
Lisa offers simple but powerful advice: “Believe in yourself, stay professional, and don’t shrink yourself to fit in. Be confident, stay trained, and support other women in the industry.”
This International Women’s Day, we celebrate the women like Lisa, already shaping the future of security — and encourage others to consider where their strength, professionalism and perspective could take them.
When more women step forward, complete a security guard course, and enter the industry as a Security officer, they do more than start a job, they help reshape the future of safety in Australia.
The Australian security sector needs more women. More voices. More perspectives. More leaders.
If you’re ready to take the next step, start your Certificate II in Security Operations and join the next generation of female security professionals shaping Australia’s future.
