In Queensland, the term “security guard” is commonly used to describe what the Queensland Office of Fair Trading refers to as an unarmed security officer. An unarmed security officer guards, patrols or watches another person's property without a weapon or guard dog and may work in roles such as loss prevention, gatehouse security, static guarding and other property protection duties. “Security provider” has a much broader legal meaning under the Security Providers Act 1993. It is the collective term used to describe the different regulated occupations within Queensland's security industry, including security officers, crowd controllers, bodyguards, private investigators, security advisers, security equipment installers and security firms.

Therefore, an unarmed security officer – commonly called a security guard – is one type of security provider rather than another name for the entire security industry. The type of security provider licence and licence functions you require will depend on the duties you intend to perform. BARS Training Australia can help students understand the different security roles and determine which training pathway is appropriate for the type of security work they want to pursue.

For more information about the duties of an unarmed security officer, visit the Queensland Office of Fair Trading at: (view here)