What it does: Integrated security (eg aviation, financial, physical) and investigative services.
Best known for: Certis is one of the five commercial auxiliary police forces in Singapore and the oldest company among the group.
Staff stats: Approximately 16,000 employees.
The good bits: Certis’ Work Study Scheme allows students to earn a full-time salary during their studies and be eligible for diploma sponsorship.
The not so good bits: The company will be upfront with applicants about the stress levels and demands of the job, especially if you apply as a security officer.
Certis began to provide security services in 1958 as the Guard and Escort Unit (GEU) under the Singapore Police Force. The company was known as The Commercial & Industrial Security Corporation until 2005, when Temasek Holdings incorporated the GEU as their wholly-owned subsidiary. In 2008, the company joined the International Security Ligue that consists of the top security service providers in the world.
Certis’ services have included physical security for high-profile individuals, aviation security, facilities management, patented technology solution and cash management security. The company also operates in Australia, China, Hong Kong, Macau, Malaysia and the Middle East. Their global team comprises around 34,000 people and more than half of them are in Singapore.
Certis hires individuals within a day to more than four weeks depending on the position. Prospective police officers and aviation security officers can know the outcome of their applications after one day. The company conducts mass interviews for these two jobs. You will join other applicants in a briefing room where Certis will provide more details about the job.
Candidates must pass medical and background checks before they can proceed to the interview. The process for non-security roles may include up to three rounds of interviews. Applicants should expect questions about their reason for choosing Certis, problem-solving skills and personality types.
Students can apply for an internship in nine business areas at the company: cybersecurity, finance, human resources, innovation office, marketing, operations, quality management, strategy and business development, and technology. Certis guarantees placement for top interns in their Talent Management Programme (TMP).
The program requires you to be an undergraduate student in your final year of study, a magna cum laude or at least part of second upper-class honours, and a commissioned officer of the Singapore Armed Forces or a senior officer. The Work Study Scheme (WSS) is another way to join Certis.
Male applicants must have completed National Service and have NITEC / Higher NITEC / GCE ‘O’ Level certification, while women only need the latter requirement. If you want to be a manager right away, the Certis Management Associate Programme allows you to become one in the operations or technology units.
Interns at Certis receive an allowance, while those who sign up for the WSS receive full sponsorship of their diploma from the Republic Polytechnic. WSS employees are also eligible for performance bonuses and medical coverage among other benefits for full-time workers. Aviation security officers earn up to S$2,000 per month on average. The median salary for Auxiliary police officers is S$2,500 per month.
Other full-time employment benefits include employee discounts for certain stores in Singapore, gym memberships, entertainment subsidies (eg free movie tickets), 13th-month payment, Central Provident Fund contributions, childcare and sick leave.
Graduates and students must be physically and mentally fit to cope with stress and long work hours, especially if they join Certis as security officers. For instance, aviation security officers spend most of their time patrolling their assigned areas. You may not eat at normal times because of work.
The company, however, ensures that all employees are updated with their skills and knowledge in the security field. The Certis Corporate University (CCU) provides immersive and high-tech training. CCU has six centres and offices for aviation security training, culture and leadership, future learning, registrar and Singapore Workforce Skills Qualifications, security training and technology.
Certis’ industry peers in the APF sector are Aetos Auxiliary Police Force, Installations Auxiliary Police Force, Pulau Bukom Auxiliary Police Force and SATS Auxiliary Police Force.
The company has implemented several policies to prevent corruption among employees, but the measures haven’t stopped a few individuals from committing crimes. In 2013, two former Certis employees allegedly misappropriated almost $147,000 in cash that was intended to replenish ATMs in Singapore.
Graduates should have the right mindset and physique if they decide to join Certis. Be prepared to sacrifice a lot of your personal time, as work-life balance isn’t guaranteed even for non-security roles. Career advancement tends to be slow at Certis, but you’ll be rewarded with plenty of learning and training opportunities that will be useful once you leave the company. WSS is another good reason to pursue a role in the security field. The full scholarship and full-time salary mean students can be financially independent.