Individuals who work in the executive protection field are bodyguards and security specialists for individuals such as executives, celebrities, and high level government officials. Instead of simply performing physical protection, however, individuals in this field also perform risk management and may develop and oversee all operations regarding protection and safety of high level clients. To choose the best executive protection training, you might first want to determine the aspects of this field in you are most interested. For instance, if you would like to learn about security technology, you might want to take courses that give you training in using cutting edge surveillance equipment. Others might be more interested in handgun training or physical personal protection.
Location and cost are important factors for many people who are considering executive protection training. Many of these programs do not offer financial aid in the way of grants or scholarships. For this reason, it can be most affordable to enroll in executive protection training at an institution near your home or place of work. Online training programs do exist, but these might be useful only for learning theoretical aspects of executive protection. For many areas of this field — such as choreography — hands-on training is highly recommended.
You also should make sure that the executive protection training you choose is recognized in the industry. By reading materials offered by institutions, you can find out where their graduates now work and which protection agencies recommend their services. If this information is hard to come by, this can be a sign that a training center's reputation is not at an acceptable level.
It can be useful to read about the faculty at an executive protection training center. Make sure that instructors have plenty of experience protecting executives and other high level individuals. For instance, if you find that some instructors have experience advising the military and others have written books about methods of personal protection, you can be sure that you have found an institution worth considering.
You might want to consider your aims when it comes to getting executive protection training. People who are looking to enter this career should seek out a well-rounded education that ends in some kind of professional certification. Others who have been in the business for some time might just want to update their skills and knowledge of new technology. For this latter group, a seminar or workshop in using new surveillance equipment might be enough.