A young Wicklow woman has become only the second female in the country to pass one of the most coveted professional examinations in the security industry.

Louise O’Connell from Blessington, who is a Supervisor with Manguard Plus, passed the CSSM® (Certified in Security Supervision & Management) examination awarded by International Foundation for Protection Officers (IFPO), a recognised highly sought-after certification.

Speaking at an event organised to present the certification, Louise  said “I am absolutely delighted to have this certification under my belt. This certification is highly prized within the security industry and so passing it is so important for my career. The exam is very difficult and passing it has made all the hard work and study worthwhile. This exam was tough and is recognised as being very difficult which makes passing it all the sweeter”.

“Manguard Plus is recognised as being the foremost leader in professionalising the entire security industry in Ireland. It puts so many of their resources in training and upskilling staff and I am so grateful for their ongoing support and guidance and the opportunities they have given me. I was mentored by Claire Regan, an Account Manager in the company who herself a CSSM , in fact she was the first women in Ireland to attain the accreditation. She coached me and helped me every step of the way and I am so grateful for her guidance and support”.

Louise says “A career in Security is a highly demanding, interesting and varied path and I would recommend it to anyone. There are real opportunities for professional advancement in security. In particular I would love to see more women coming into the industry. As it stands, only 11% of women work in the Irish security industry. I would encourage any woman to look into our sector for real opportunities and career advancement. It is a fascinating and fast-moving industry, one that definitely offers rewards and flexibility, and I am so glad it is my chosen field”.

Congratulating Louise on her professional advancement, Managing Director of Manguard Plus, Sean Hall said “Louise is an exemplary member of our team. She runs the busiest client’s site in Dublin which is a sterling example of her professionalism. This is a multi-million-euro prestigious contract for Manguard Plus and one that is consistently growing. It is a hugely responsible position and Louise has risen to the task in an inspiring manner”.

“Though a relative newcomer to the security industry, Louise has consistently demonstrated an ability and willingness to learn, qualities that are excellent signals to a long and highly successful long-term career in the sector. She picks up things easily in what is a very responsible and fast-moving role, which is a strong advantage”.

“She has that unquantifiable talent for pre-empting any potential issues that could prove problematic for our clients and takes the steps necessary to negate them. This is both a talent and an example of true dedication that simply cannot be overstated . Her eagerness to continually improve both her understanding of the security industry and her own skill set is inspiring and points to a long and successful career in the industry. The fact that she was promoted twice, first to Security Supervisor and then to Area Supervisor in such a short time is testament to this dedication and ability on such a prestigious contract. We are incredibly impressed by her and can see that Louise has the knowledge skills and attitude to forge out a very successful career in security. What I find most heartening is the bond that Claire and Louise have built up throughout this process and this is exactly what we are striving for, leaders developing new leaders”

“Traditionally Security has been an industry that has predominantly attracted men, but Louise has carved out a very important role for herself and we firmly believe that her success will encourage other women to consider a role in security as a long term and professional career path”.