Today’s security professionals are on the front lines, expected to handle complex situations and adjust to new challenges within the industry.
Expanded duties, heightened public scrutiny, and external pressures from regulatory bodies are all driving a need for advanced and specialized training facilitated by security companies.
Companies that recognize these shifts and invest in comprehensive and up-to-date training programs will improve employee retention, operational effectiveness, and client satisfaction.
What’s Driving the Demand for Better Guard Training?
Several factors are pushing the security industry to raise its training standards.
Firstly, traditional guard training is essentially passive. It’s checklist-based and focused on basic observation and physical presence, often through lectures and basic manuals. Furthermore, it pays little attention to technology, soft skills like de-escalation, or mental well-being.
What was once considered sufficient is no longer enough.
Today’s guards are expected to handle more than just passive surveillance. They’re often the first responders to medical emergencies, aggressive behavior, or escalating public conflicts. These greater, more diverse responsibilities require guards to be better prepared across a broader skill set.
Similarly, new and evolving threats, like cybersecurity breaches, organized retail crime, and workplace violence, require guards to adapt quickly and think critically.
Expectations are also growing. Clients and the public demand professionalism and accountability, especially in high-visibility roles. Incidents caught on video or shared online have put guard behavior under greater scrutiny, making effective, relevant training key for companies to manage risk and protect their reputations.
Finally, high guard turnover is a persistent issue. Many companies are recognizing that better training enhances job satisfaction and confidence, which in turn increases retention and fosters a more effective workforce.
This creates an opportunity to keep well-trained guards who feel more capable and more likely to stay in their roles long-term. As a side gain, the company’s reputation strengthens, and this, in turn, works as a magnet for new talent.
Top Security Guard Training Trends
To stay competitive and excel in the industry, your security company should be aware of the following guard training trends and adjust its approaches accordingly.
Tech Proficiency Is Now a Core Skill
Technology is now a routine part of security guard responsibilities. Many guards are expected to operate surveillance cameras, access control systems, radios/phones, and digital incident reporting tools as part of their daily work. Some roles also involve using mobile apps for patrol tracking, remote monitoring platforms, or even drone surveillance in larger facilities.
As these technologies become more common across sectors, particularly in retail, healthcare, and critical infrastructure, technical competence is increasingly becoming part of the standard training expectation for most modern security roles.
Training programs are adapting by including more practical instruction on how to use these systems. For example, at Guard Training, our Radio Procedures course includes information on how to check and maintain radio equipment and how to stay compliant in its use, rather than only focusing on radio codes and etiquette.
Companies can stay ahead of this trend by incorporating technology modules into both initial and ongoing guard training. This might involve hands-on practice with access control systems, reporting software, surveillance platforms, and communication tools.
Mental Health Training is on the Rise
Security guards are often in high-stress situations, and mental health support is becoming more critical to managing these demands. Other strains can include the pressure to continually stay updated on procedures, chronic burnout, repeated exposure to traumatic incidents contributing to PTSD, verbal abuse, and direct threats of violence.
These stressors are often carried silently. Many security professionals feel the need to present a calm, confident exterior to mask the emotional toll, allowing them to maintain authority and reassure those around them.
Traditionally, this topic was overlooked, and guards were expected to push through stress quietly. However, that’s changing, and modern training programs are increasingly incorporating modules on emotional resilience, managing acute stress, and recognizing the early signs of psychological strain in themselves and others. Guards are also being trained in safe, non-escalatory responses that protect both themselves and the public.
Internationally, this shift is being supported by programs like Security Minds Matter in the UK, which collaborates with industry bodies to normalize mental health education and push for it to be standard in guard certification and ongoing development. While based in the UK, efforts like this highlight a global recognition that mental health support is a vital part of protecting employees and long-term workforce sustainability.
Security companies can support this shift by integrating mental health into their training frameworks, including modules on emotional resilience, stress management, and trauma-informed response. Building peer support systems, scheduling routine debrief sessions, and ensuring guards have access to mental health resources can help reduce burnout, improve retention, and create a more sustainable work environment.
Training Is Expected to Be Mobile and Flexible
Security guard training is increasingly expected to be mobile and flexible. Guards often work irregular hours, rotate between multiple sites, and may not have consistent access to a training facility or desktop computer. This trend is likely to continue as younger, technologically proficient workers enter the industry expecting on-demand access to learning.
To meet this demand, security companies can invest in mobile-friendly platforms that enable guards to complete courses from any location at their convenience. The content should be easy to navigate, support offline access when possible, and track progress across different devices.
Our security guard courses are built specifically for today’s mobile, tech-savvy, and flexible workforce. Courses are accessible on phones, tablets, and desktops, so guards can train on their schedule, even when they’re between shifts or working at a remote site. Modules are self-paced, and there’s no need for in-person sessions.
Once purchased, courses also remain available indefinitely, giving guards and companies the flexibility to complete training without unnecessary pressure.
Diversity and Inclusion Training Is Becoming a Standard
As D&I (Diversity and Inclusion) training becomes a standard part of security guard programs, companies must ensure it’s both practical and legally compliant.
Guards benefit from learning how to manage bias, interact respectfully across differences, and respond professionally in high-stress environments. However, companies must provide training programs designed to avoid legal risks under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
On March 19, 2025, the EEOC and DOJ released technical guidance clarifying how longstanding civil rights laws apply to DEI-related policies and programs. It’s been emphasized that any form of racial or sexual discrimination, regardless of intent or business justification, is unlawful under Title VII. The guidance rejects the concept of “reverse discrimination” and reiterates that Title VII protections cover all employees equally.
This has direct implications for training, especially for security guards who are on the front lines and often represent the face of the company. Their training must avoid content that stereotypes or assigns group-based traits. Even when the intent is educational, singling out or blaming any group creates legal and cultural problems.
At Guard Training, we offer a harassment and discrimination course designed to fully comply with Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) laws and Title VII requirements. Information and examples provided in our course help security companies minimize the risk of hostile work environment claims, retaliation allegations, and other legal challenges.
Upskilling for Career Growth Is a Growing Priority for Guards
Upskilling security guards is becoming a critical strategy for companies seeking to raise standards and adapt to evolving security challenges.
Instead of just focusing on initial certifications and mandatory training, there’s a growing emphasis on continuous skill development that covers areas like observation, communication, and public relations.
Investing in upskilling is a way for security companies to improve employee satisfaction and retention significantly. When guards see real opportunities to advance and feel supported in their development, they’re more likely to stay committed to their roles and the company. That kind of stability reduces the high costs associated with turnover, such as constant hiring and retraining.
At Guard Training, our courses go beyond basic compliance and offer practical, real-world skills that prepare guards for new roles, increased responsibilities, and even supervisory positions.
Companies can also establish a more capable, adaptable, and loyal workforce. Upskilling is a go-to solution: it creates clear career pathways, offers regular training updates, and encourages skill diversification. This approach strengthens the guard’s confidence and performance on the job while signaling that the company values their growth. As guards build new competencies, they’re better equipped to handle complex situations and work effectively when on duty.
Purchase Comprehensive Courses to Stay On Top of Guard Training Trends
With a new generation of guards entering the workforce, the refinement of regulatory bills, technological advancements, and shifting client demands, trends in security guard training continue to emerge.
Now more than ever before, security companies must stay agile and attentive to the needs of their employees and the responsibilities placed on their operations by evolving threats and higher public scrutiny.
Despite these considerations, security guard training doesn’t need to be inconvenient, time-consuming, or even costly. At Guard Training, we provide unlimited access to a diverse range of cost-effective courses, ranging from mandatory compliance training like first aid and de-escalation techniques to specialized upskilling modules, including ethics, patrol techniques, and crisis management.
