Don’t Trash Your Training Certificates: You’ll Need Them!

Alright, security officers, let’s have a little chat about something important—your 40-hour initial guard card training certificate. Yes, that magical piece of paper (or PDF) that got you your guard card in the first place.

We’ve been interviewing a lot of officers lately, and one concerning trend keeps popping up: A shocking number of security professionals no longer have their training certificates. And before you say, “I told BSIS I had it, isn’t that enough?”—let’s break this down.

Think about it like this: Imagine you went to college, worked hard (or at least showed up), got your degree, handed a copy to your first employer, and then promptly threw it in the trash. Sounds ridiculous, right? Well, that’s exactly what some of you are doing with your security training certificates!

Why Does This Matter?

Every new security company you work for needs a copy of your 40-hour training certificate on file. BSIS doesn’t keep a copy, and they’re not going to vouch for you if your next employer asks to see proof of training. You have to provide it yourself.

If you’ve lost it, guess what? Your old company is not a storage facility, and your training provider isn’t likely to keep records forever. That means you may have to retake the training—wasting time and money all because you didn’t hold onto a simple document.

How to Keep It Safe (So You’re Not Kicking Yourself Later):

1. Save a digital copy – Scan or take a clear photo of your certificate and store it in a secure folder on your phone, computer, or cloud storage (Google Drive, iCloud, etc.).
2. Print a copy – Keep a hard copy in a folder with your other important documents (along with your birth certificate and that high school diploma you worked so hard for).
3. Email it to yourself – Even if your house burns down, your email account will probably survive.

The Bottom Line

Your 40-hour training certificate isn’t a one-and-done deal. It’s your proof of training, and every security company you work for will need a copy. Do yourself a favor—keep it safe, save yourself the hassle, and avoid having to redo training you already completed!

Now go forth and guard responsibly—without losing your paperwork!