What each role actually does
Manned guarding focuses on a specific environment and set of duties. Remote monitoring sits alongside but has a distinct primary purpose. Read the assignment instructions for each before choosing.
Licensing and training
Both roles require SIA licensing where duties are licensable. The exact licence differs; some candidates hold both to maximise availability.
Pay and conditions
Pay bands overlap in the middle but diverge at the top end. Manned guarding tends to pay more where the environment is higher-risk; Remote monitoring more where the environment is higher-visibility.
Career progression
Progression from Manned guarding typically routes into supervisory and specialist paths. Remote monitoring routes into different specialisms with similar earnings ceilings.
Which is right for you
Pick Manned guarding if you prefer the environment it operates in; pick Remote monitoring if you prefer the pace and interaction it offers. Both are respected careers with genuine pathways.