When the industry in India does not have any legal requirements for me to be trained or licensed in EP, then why would I waste my money doing a course, if I can nevertheless get hired without that??
Using that same argument, why bother to learn how to drive/ride properly, following the rules of the road and the MVA when licenses are issued so frivolously? Why build a house keeping to the guidelines of the state when you can violate them and get away? Why go out and vote when you know at the end of the day it could be manipulated to suit a party’s needs?
None of these arguments make any sense if you are someone who believes in doing things the right way, for the right reasons, to not only better yourself, but the nation and industry as well.
The Purpose of Training and Being Licensed
To better understand WHY, look at the industry you are working in. To take on the onus of protecting someone is no small task. If you are not aware of what you are doing, what needs to be done and how, what can go wrong and all aspects that go into keeping a Principal safe and secure then you are not only putting YOUR life at risk, but playing with the lives of your team members as well as your charge who has put all his/her faith into you.
You have automatically failed to do so, simply by taking on something beyond your scope of understanding and execution. You have inadvertently become a liability to yourself and others around you. You would be no different from a doctor taking the lives of patients in his/her hands, with little or no training.
The fact of the matter is, whether the country has legal requirements or not, it becomes the responsibility of each and every single professional out there to ensure that they are fully capable of understanding what is required of them, building on those skill sets, and handling the task given to them in the best manner possible.
Training is vital to that understanding.
If this were not important, then globally, Executive Protection Agents would get jobs just like that. But the fact is, worldwide, every EP agent has to be trained, certified, and licensed before he/she can become a part of the industry.
Unfortunately, in our country, that has not yet been mandated, so it is left to individuals/ professions to make that decision. No respectable client will want someone who has no idea of what he/she is doing to look after them. No team leader will work with someone who doesn’t have what it takes, and no company that understands the industry well should hire someone like that.
To Conclude
Paying for and undertaking a course is an investment you make in yourself, to be able to not only understand all the aspects but also create a strong and solid platform on which you can stand, with the option to grow and better yourself in the industry you love.
Keeping yourself out of harm’s way and ensuring your Principal is protected is vital in this sector, so please keep in mind, regardless of what the system in our country is, as a professional, it is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to yourself and the people you protect, to be in the game, the right way, for the right reasons. This is an INVESTMENT, not a liability, and the returns will speak for themselves.
