TRADES AND SERVICES PROFILES
Chris, Security Officer
Click here to listen to Chris's words - spoken by an actor
I've been in the service for six years now. I spend most of my day in 12hr shifts monitoring CCTV, patrolling the building and ensuring that the staff and the building is secure.
It means being part of a team alongside other Security Officers, meeting the public and issuing passes, and there's a range of different duties during the day. The working environment's a very pleasant one, and we have good social get-togethers on a regular basis.
Behind the scenes you'll find everyone from Security Guards to Telephonists. It doesn't matter whether you've spend the day moving furniture, monitoring CCTV or chauffeuring a VIP because whatever your role you are an essential part of the service.
Jim, Driver
I started here as a driver and did that for around three years before moving fairly recently to the acquisition and supply team.
Driving was enjoyable because we have varied duties throughout the day and the working week. For example, I could go to Heathrow or Gatwick to pick up members of staff and visitors to the UK at any time of day or night. We were often asked to take freight and passengers to RAF bases as well. Sometimes you'd be carrying large amounts of equipment on your lorry or van.
Then there were the more day to day tasks like driving to and from different government departments in London and regular runs to banks and other establishments.
I've completed several different driving courses. One took three weeks and we carried out training all over the countryside and in central London. I also went to Germany for three days to take part in a security vehicle driving course.
Some of the jobs I've enjoyed most, involved being assigned to visitors for a whole week. I'd collect them from their hotel in the morning and take them to different locations in the UK and to see sights around central London. Then I'd drive them to wherever they were having dinner and deliver them back safely to the hotel in the evening.
It was the variety I enjoyed most. It's much better than being stuck behind a desk all day. I also liked the fact that everybody is extremely friendly and you know people of all different grades by their first name. It's just like a big family.