Singapore’s Security Technologist Track: Future-proofing the physical security workforce

Singapore’s physical security industry is undergoing a quiet but far-reaching transformation as it moves toward a "Secure-by-Design" national framework for physical and digital infrastructure. While much attention has been paid to global security trends—AI cameras, hybrid cloud infrastructures, unified video security/access control platforms—as well as regional developments such as cyber-physical convergence, a more fundamental shift is taking place beneath the surface: the reshaping of the security workforce itself.
 
Just as in other areas of security, the city state is at the forefront of the latest development. Facilitating efforts to harness change, the Security Solutions Association of Singapore (SSAS) recently launched Security Technologist Track, an initiative in collaboration with SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) and the Singapore Police Force’s Centre for Protective Security (CPS).
 
Much can be learned from how the city state envisions the "security professional" of the future. In his New Year’s Message and the group’s ensuing newsletter, SSAS President Jason Kurek drew attention to the fact that new skillsets are needed to succeed in 2026 and beyond.  Security Technologist Track aims to ensure that young professionals joining the workforce are well equipped, and that security remains an attractive field of employment amid a manpower shortage affecting many industries.
 
According to SSAS, the “Security Technologist” is a specialist tasked with securing technological systems through network protection, system architecture, and technical security controls—a much broader role than the security control room staffer of the past.
 
The role demands a deep technical understanding of emerging threats. In the Singapore market, where security cameras are increasingly classified as "third-party owned critical information infrastructure" (3PO CII), the stakes for technical proficiency are increasingly high. Integrators are no longer just moving boxes and mounting hardware, but are designing "secure-by-design" ecosystems that must withstand both physical breaches and digital "backdoor" attempts.
 

The 4-Tier career roadmap for Security Technologists

To support this transition, SSAS and its partners have established a clear career ladder that bridges the gap between vocational training and high-level systems engineering. This structured pathway is designed to ensure that training remains responsive to an evolving landscape through four distinct tiers:
 

• Principal Security Systems Engineer: Equipped with highest-level skills, these experts focus on high-level system architecture and strategy. While academic degrees in fields like computer science or electrical engineering will remain the norm, the industry will increasingly recognize and reward experience; a principal engineer is expected to possess deep expertise in surveillance systems design and multi-system integration.

 

• Security Systems Engineer: These professionals specialize in customizing hardware and software to work as integrated systems. Equipped with skillsets similar to those of the principal engineer, they play a critical role in reviewing the feasibility of complex integrations and ensuring cross-platform compatibility. Their experience is expected to open doors for them to leading roles in designing systems and strategy.

 

• Assistant Security Systems Engineer: Stepping up into project management, these professionals lead technical teams and plan complex installation works. Key identified skills include IoT management, alarm system management, and solutioning.

 

• Security Systems Technician: At the beginning of their career path, these young security professionals will focus on installation, configuration and maintenance of equipment. Training is facilitated through the SkillsFuture Career Transition Programme (SCTP), conducted by the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) and Temasek Polytechnic’s Security Industry Institute (TP-SII), enabling those transitioning their careers into the security sector to climb the career ladder, too.

 

Future-proofing for AI, robotics, and 3PO CII compliance

While Security Technologist Track  in its current form focuses on core competencies like network administration and infrastructure support, the association is already looking toward the next horizon.
 
As AI and robotics become central to Singapore’s security strategy—from automated patrols in public spaces to computer vision in smart data centers—emphasis on modular Continuing Education and Training (CET) courses is expected to grow.
 

Singapore Government Grants for Security Firms: PSG, MRA and more

Transformation requires capital as much as it does talent. In its newsletter, SSAS highlights the Singapore government’s role as a facilitator, providing several kinds of assistance programs and grants to help integrators adopt the very technology their new "technologists" will manage:
 

• Career Conversion Programmes (CCP): This initiative enables firms to reskill mid-career professionals through three models: Place-and-Train, Job Redesign (Reskilling), and Attach-and-Train. Most notably, the government provides salary support of up to 90% during the training period for eligible hires.

 

• Productivity Solutions Grant (PSG): A cornerstone for SMEs, PSG offers up to 50% funding for pre-approved IT solutions. For security firms, this often covers the adoption of automated configuration tools or centralized management software.

 

• Market Readiness Assistance (MRA): As Singaporean firms demonstrate compliance with high local standards, MRA assists them in taking these capabilities into overseas markets, subsidizing up to S$100,000 for business development.

 

• Enterprise Development Grant (EDG): For larger-scale projects aimed at innovation and process redesign, EDG supports firms looking to upgrade their business models or move into high-value security consulting.

 

• Sustainability Reporting Grant (SRG): Designed to assist Singapore-incorporated companies in producing their first sustainability reports, it covers up to 30% of qualifying costs—capped at S$150,000.

 

Final thoughts

The launch of the Technologist Track marks a turning point in Singapore’s security landscape. When focusing on impact, rethinking career paths in security is on par with the most recent technological advances. By formalizing the path from technician to engineer, Singapore is not just filling vacancies; it is professionalizing the core of physical security for a future-ready 2026.