Security Service personnel

Security Service personnel protect the UK against threats to national security.

• Starter salary£26,000 a year
• Experienced£60,000 a year
• Typical hours37 to 40 a week

What you'll do

As a Security Service employee, you could:

• collect and analyse information on threats to national security
• use specialist IT and surveillance equipment to observe and record activities
• report on suspects' movements and actions
• help senior staff to make decisions about potential threats
• support and troubleshoot IT systems
• develop software for use in service
• provide administrative support in departments like finance or HR

Working environment

You could work in an office, in a control room or at a police station.

Your working environment may be emotionally demanding, outdoors some of the time and you may spend nights away from home.

Skills and knowledge you'll need

You'll need:

• knowledge of public safety and security
• to be thorough and pay attention to detail
• the ability to work well with others
• complex problem-solving skills
• the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
• patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
• legal knowledge including court procedures and government regulations
• the ability to use your initiative
• to be able to use a computer and the main software packages confidently

How to become a security Service personnel

You can get into this job through:

• a university course
• an apprenticeship
• applying directly

Different roles in the security services have different entry routes.

University

To enter the Security Service with a degree, you'll need a pass at upper second class or higher.

Relevant degree subjects include:

• computing
• history
• languages
• maths
• law

With a degree you can apply for job roles, like:

• intelligence analyst
• online and computer technology specialist
• security exploitation officer
• foreign language analyst

There are several MI5 graduate development programmes available, depending on what type of work you want to do.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

• 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree

Apprenticeship

You could apply for one of MI5's technical apprenticeships, such as:

• Information Communication Technician Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship
• Digital and Technology Solutions Professional - Software Engineering Level 6 Degree Apprenticeship

You will need to apply directly to the Security Service MI5 to gain a place on an apprenticeship.

Direct application

For some roles within the Security Service, like language specialist , you may not need any specific qualifications. Entry would be based on the experience and skills you could bring to the role, for instance fluency in a second language like Russian or Mandarin.

There could also be opportunities for you if you have technical, vocational or professional qualifications in subjects like electronics or accountancy.

For support jobs such as business officer or administration assistant, you'll need five GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) or equivalent including English and maths, or have relevant office-based experience.

Restrictions and requirements

You'll need to:

• be a British citizen
• be over 18 years of age

Due to the sensitive nature of the work, you have to undergo background checks, which could include detailed questions about your life. You also have to provide work and character references. You can get more information about the vetting process and eligibility from the Security Service MI5 .

Career path and progression

With experience and a good performance record, you could specialise in a particular area of security work or go into management.

You could also move to a regional station in the UK, or apply for opportunities with the SIS (Secret Intelligence Service MI6) and GCHQ (Government Communications Headquarters) .

Career tips

The Security Service offers a wide range of roles and career paths. It recruits people from all walks of life, from school leavers aged 18 to experienced professionals for certain specialist roles.

Guides for this industry

• Recruitment: pay, interviews and getting started →

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Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0