Kevin E. Lynch, LPC
Chairman Military Transition Committee, The Loss Prevention Foundation
Being a Naval Academy graduate I am painfully aware of the stress of transitioning to the world of civilian employment. I wore a uniform for 10 years before receiving my honorable discharge and beginning the journey along a new career path. Many days, the prospect of worrying about where my next paycheck would come from was daunting. However, I was fortunate enough to discover the world of retail security/asset protection. For the last 29 years, I have had the opportunity to work for some of the best loss prevention executives in corporate America.
The loss prevention profession has evolved over the last 30 years and is now recognized as an essential entity within the corporate structure. The physical protection of a company’s assets is the cornerstone of a profitable corporation. Despite this prominence, it is a profession often overlooked by veterans. In the past, military police or security/intelligence officers and enlisted men and women have engaged in job searches in local, state or federal law enforcement agencies as secondary careers. As many of you know, these job opportunities are extremely competitive and limited due to budgetary constraints of municipalities.
I wanted to take this opportunity and enlighten returning veterans about a profession that has been woefully under-publicized. American retailers are looking for entry-level people to fill the ranks of their loss prevention departments. Retailers like Walmart, Home Depot, Best Buy, JCPenney, and many more are in dire need of store loss prevention managers to fill the pipeline of a great career path. The starting salaries of many of these positions are between $40,000 and $50,000 dollars annually. However, these positions can easily lead to even more financially rewarding careers within loss prevention. These positions can also give individuals coming out of the military the necessary corporate experience that may prepare them for other positions in the public sector.
The Importance of Training and Education
The Loss Prevention Foundation (LPF) was formulated to provide quality candidates for this pipeline of talent. LPF has two industry specific levels of online course work to prepare individuals to take a certification exam to attain a certificate of accreditation. The entry course is LPQualified (LPQ) and the advanced course is LPCertified (LPC).
Many of the prestigious retailers mentioned above have instructed their human resources departments to give preferential consideration for candidates who have attained the proper certification. In addition, more than 60 major retailers now list the LPQ and LPC as a preferred requirement for employment. Veterans who want to follow the path of least resistance to this important career path should investigate this course structure.
The course structure is comprehensive and delves into every aspect of loss prevention programs, technology, inventory-control practices, physical security, and a plethora of topics necessary for success in this growing field. Completing this course will clearly give the individual a leg up on the competition.
In addition, The Loss Prevention Foundation has partnered with American Military University (AMU) to promote education among all private sector security personnel. After all, training and education go hand-in-hand for a successful career in the security industry.
In fact, one study showed that 87 percent of employers required a college degree for security management personnel. Unfortunately, a recent study by the Department of Justice showed that only 12 percent of private sector security personnel had a Bachelor’s degree and 42 percent had some college education, but never completed their degree.
The Loss Prevention Foundation and American Military University are committed to bringing these numbers up, industry-wide. AMU offers degree programs completely online and has programs developed specifically for today’s security practitioner.
Both education and certification are becoming more important for returning veterans who are considering careers in loss prevention and security, especially as retailers continue building a top-flight loss prevention team, dedicated to protecting company assets and increasing retail sales.
And, as you investigate this career path, feel confident that the skillsets you possess as a returning veteran are held up as a premium with retail hiring managers. The ability to follow an order, present a professional appearance, show loyalty, display great attention to detail, and demonstrate a strong work ethic are all traits of a veteran. Having the proper certification and education, along with these traits, are a profile for successful employment.
About the Author:
Kevin Lynch is a 1978 Graduate of the United States Naval Academy. He is currently the Executive Director of Business Development for Tyco Integrated Security. He is a 27-year veteran of the loss prevention industry and is on the Board of Directors of the Loss Prevention Foundation. Mr. Lynch has attained his LPC (Loss Prevention Certification).
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