Future Security Officer Skills and Technology Trends for 2035

by Sias Claassen

Introduction

Having spent more than five decades in Human Resources and having witnessed the evolution of the security industry across Africa for the past 28 years, I am convinced that the next ten years will bring more change than the previous thirty.

The security industry has undergone remarkable transformation over recent decades. Security officers who once relied primarily on observation, notebooks, radios, and physical patrols now operate in environments supported by sophisticated surveillance systems, biometric access control, drones, artificial intelligence, remote monitoring centres, and advanced communication technologies.

As we look ahead to 2035, one question becomes increasingly important: “What will the security officer of the future look like”?

Contrary to popular belief, the answer is not that technology will replace people. Rather, the future security officer will combine traditional security skills with technological competence, analytical thinking, and enhanced decision-making capabilities.

I think that the future belongs not to technology alone, nor to people alone, but to the successful integration of both.

A Changing Threat Environment

The risks facing businesses today differ significantly from those encountered twenty years ago.

Traditional threats such as theft, vandalism, trespassing, and fraud remain prevalent. However, they are now accompanied by increasingly sophisticated challenges, including cybercrime, organised criminal networks, insider threats, information security risks, drone-related threats, and complex supply chain vulnerabilities.

Modern clients expect more than a visible guarding presence. They expect security providers to understand risk, provide actionable intelligence, manage technology, and contribute directly to business continuity. The security officer of 2035 will therefore require a broader skill set than ever before.

Increasingly, security personnel will find themselves working alongside technology that can analyse vast amounts of information in seconds. Yet technology alone cannot secure a mine, protect a diplomatic mission, safeguard a residential estate, or preserve a client’s reputation. These outcomes still depend on people who can interpret information, make sound decisions, and take decisive action.

From Guard to Security Professional

Historically, many people viewed security officers primarily as gatekeepers or patrol personnel. While these functions remain important, the profession is evolving rapidly.

The security officer of 2035 will increasingly function as a risk observer, a technology operator, a customer service ambassador, a compliance monitor, a first responder, an information gatherer and a problem solver. In many respects, tomorrow’s security officer will resemble a security analyst more than a traditional guard. Technology will automate routine tasks, allowing officers to focus on activities that require judgement, communication, and decision-making.

This evolution, I believe, will elevate the profession and create new opportunities for individuals who are willing to learn, adapt, and embrace change.

The Rise of Technology

Technology will undoubtedly play a central role in the future of security. Artificial Intelligence systems are already capable of detecting unusual behaviour, analysing video feeds, identifying licence plates, recognising faces, and generating alerts in real time. Drones can patrol vast perimeters more efficiently than traditional patrols. Remote Monitoring Centres can oversee multiple facilities simultaneously. Electronic reporting systems can provide instant visibility into operational performance.

By 2035, these technologies will become even more sophisticated. Security officers will be expected to understand CCTV and video analytics, access control systems, alarm management systems, drone operations, body-worn cameras, mobile reporting platforms, Artificial Intelligence applications and digital evidence management systems.

The officer who embraces technology will remain highly relevant. The officer who resists technological change may find it increasingly difficult to remain competitive in the profession.

Technology is no longer an optional extra within the security industry. It has become an essential component of modern security management.

The Human Advantage

Despite rapid technological advancement, there remains one area where humans continue to hold a significant advantage, i.e. judgement! A camera may detect movement. A sensor may trigger an alarm. An AI platform may identify an anomaly. However, only a human being can assess context, apply experience, exercise discretion, and make ethical decisions.

A security officer may recognise fear in a person’s voice, detect deception during a conversation, de-escalate conflict through communication, or identify a developing risk that falls outside predefined system parameters. These uniquely human capabilities cannot easily be replicated by machines.

Technology can process information — humans provide wisdom. Technology can generate options — humans make decisions. Technology can identify risks — humans determine the appropriate response.

The future security model will therefore be built around collaboration between technology and people rather than replacement.

Impacting Omega

At Omega Risk Solutions, we are already seeing many of the technologies that will shape the future of our industry. Across Africa, clients increasingly expect integrated security solutions rather than traditional guarding services alone. Remote Monitoring Centres provide real-time visibility of operations. Advanced CCTV analytics can identify suspicious behaviour before incidents occur. Access control systems can verify identities within seconds, while electronic reporting platforms provide clients with immediate access to operational information.

In the mining sector, technologies such as drone surveillance, thermal imaging cameras, vehicle tracking systems, intelligent control rooms, and integrated communication platforms are becoming increasingly common. Security personnel are expected to understand not only physical security principles, but also the operation and interpretation of these technologies.

We find that residential estates are following a similar path. Modern developments increasingly utilise facial recognition systems, Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR), intelligent perimeter detection systems, panic alarm integration, and centralised monitoring platforms. While security officers remain highly visible within these environments, their role is evolving from gatekeeper to security coordinator and customer service professional.

Large logistics operations, ports, warehouses, and industrial facilities are likewise becoming increasingly technology-driven. The security officer of the future may spend as much time analysing information and responding to system-generated alerts as conducting physical patrols.

The future will not eliminate manpower. Instead, technology will enable security personnel to become more effective, more informed, and more proactive.

Omega’s Investment in the Future

Preparing for 2035 begins today.

For Human Resources professionals, this means ensuring that recruitment, training, and succession planning evolve alongside technology. The security officer entering the industry today may ultimately supervise drone operations, manage AI-generated incident reports, monitor multiple facilities remotely, or analyse operational data that supports strategic decision-making.

The implications for Omega Training Academy (OTA) are significant. The security industry of 2035 will require a level of professional development far beyond that traditionally associated with guarding services. OTA will face increasing pressure to expand its curricula, modernise training methodologies, invest in specialised instructors, and incorporate technology-based learning into our programmes.

Future security officers will require continuous development throughout their careers rather than relying solely on initial certification. As new technologies emerge and client expectations evolve, ongoing refresher training, re-skilling, and professional development will become essential.

I believe that the organisations that invest most effectively in training today are likely to enjoy a significant competitive advantage tomorrow. In many respects, the future success of security companies may depend less on the technology they acquire and more on their ability to train people to use that technology effectively.

Technical competence, leadership development, communication skills, report writing, customer service, technology literacy, and cybersecurity awareness will all become fundamental components of future training programmes.

The future officer will require a blend of operational knowledge and technological competence. The days when a security officer’s value was measured solely by physical presence are rapidly disappearing.

At Omega, we have always believed that our greatest asset is our people. While technology will undoubtedly become more sophisticated, the organisation that succeeds in 2035 will not necessarily be the one with the most advanced systems. It will be the organisation that successfully combines technology with skilled, ethical, and highly trained people.

Succession Planning for a New Era

The leaders of tomorrow’s security industry are already working within our organisations today.

Many of the supervisors, controllers, trainers, and junior managers currently developing their skills will ultimately lead highly integrated security environments that combine physical security, electronic security, cyber awareness, intelligence gathering, and business continuity management.

This reality places a responsibility on organisations to identify talent early, provide meaningful development opportunities, and create clear career pathways.

The future security leader will require a blend of operational experience, technological understanding, commercial awareness, data interpretation skills, and leadership capability. Developing these competencies cannot begin in 2035 — it must begin now.

For Human Resources practitioners, succession planning will become increasingly important. Organisations that fail to prepare future leaders risk falling behind in a rapidly changing environment. Conversely, those that invest in leadership development, mentorship, and continuous learning will be well positioned to thrive.

As technology continues to evolve, one thing remains certain: the organisations that invest in people today will be best positioned to meet the challenges of tomorrow.

Conclusion

The future of security is not a choice between humans and machines. It is about creating effective partnerships between human intelligence and artificial intelligence.

Technology will continue to transform the industry, improving efficiency, visibility, and operational effectiveness. However, integrity, judgement, leadership, empathy, and professionalism will remain fundamentally human qualities.

At Omega Risk Solutions, we believe that preparing for the future requires investment not only in technology, but also in people. The security officer of 2035 will be more skilled, more technologically capable, and more professionally developed than ever before.

Yet the core principles of the profession will remain unchanged as so aptly illustrated by Omega’s value system: Passion, Respect, Integrity, Discipline, Excellence.

Technology may transform how security is delivered. People will continue to determine how successfully it is delivered.

References

World Economic Forum. (2025). Future of Jobs Report.
McKinsey & Company. (2024). The Future of Work in the Age of AI.
Deloitte. (2024). Technology Trends in Security Operations.
ASIS International. (2024). Security Futures 2035.
International Foundation for Protection Officers (IFPO). (2023). The Future Security Officer.
Goleman, D. (1995). Emotional Intelligence. Bantam Books.
Accenture. (2024). AI and the Workforce: Building Human-Machine Partnerships.
World Economic Forum. (2024). The Future of Jobs and Skills.
Harvard Business Review. (2023). Why Human Judgement Matters More Than Ever in an AI World.
International Labour Organization (ILO). (2024). Skills for a Digital Future.
PwC. (2024). Workforce of the Future: Security and Risk Management Perspective.
European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA). (2024). Human Factors in Security Operations.

The Security Officer of 2035: Preparing for the Future of Security