Help Please: CONTROL RISKS or Ronin uk

[Andy23sas]

Hi,

I am stuck between Ronin Concepts Hostile Close Protection Course and CONTROL RISKS courses.

I notice that control risks do the Close Protection Course and a Hostile Environment Close Operatives Course.

To get your foot in the door, would you recommend Control Risks. I know their pay is not as good, but is there any geniune chance of work with them after you have completed the course?

Can someone give me some solid advice please.

regards

andy

[neiljordan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andy23sas Hi, I am stuck between Ronin Concepts Hostile Close Protection Course and CONTROL RISKS courses. I notice that control risks do the Close Protection Course and a Hostile Environment Close Operatives Course. To get your foot in the door, would you recommend Control Risks. I know their pay is not as good, but is there any geniune chance of work with them after you have completed the course? Can someone give me some solid advice please. regards andy

Andy,

Look at it from this point of view. CRG are one of the largest Security and Risk companies in the world, they first and foremost employ the people they train and they have a contract with the FCO for the next 2 years or so in Baghdad.

Ronin are a training provider who will provide you with a course, a qualification if you pass and then kick you back out in to the big wide world.

Starting out in this business you need to get a 'leg up', doing a recognised course with CRG, then getting on one of their many security contracts (and not just here in Baghdad) is the way ahead. Everyone knows that CRG, whilst not being the best payers do have a good reputation in the business of security and risk.

I'm not knocking Ronin, but what do they provide once you're qualified?

The choice for me would be an easy one...hope this helped?

Neil

[sparkymedic]

Andy,

I agree totally with Neil, I did the CP course with CRG last year. Its one of the cheaper and shorter options at £2500/2 weeks, i didn't do the HECPO, mainly as i'm a medic and came out to Iraq sepcifically in that role. If you do the HECPO course which is £1800 you'd pay £500 initially and providing you complete the course, you'd pay the remaining balance out of your first invoice i believe. CRG were deploying guys to Iraq the day after they'd completed their HECPO course when i was there doing my CP! Bottom line, if your looking to get a foot in the door i'd go with CP/HECPO with CRG.

Hope that helps

[Disco3]

CRG HECPO course fellas. Good foot in the door with a good company. I worked for CR for 3 years in Iraq and this I believe as been the spring board onto better things since I left. The standard of instruction is very good and comes highly recommended.

[Project 4 Solutions]

Hi all, was talking to a mate of mine, who is wirh CRG in Basra and he said that they may be binning the HECPO course for one reason or another. Not sure if there is anyone in the inner circle who can shed any light on this?

[kennyjulie1]

iI ahve just done the HECPO course with CRG, and it was very good.Their was a CP course running at the same time and from what I heard it was also very good and very thorough.As for HECPO finishing I don`t know,

[DanD]

I worked for crg for quite a while however not in the middle east. When asked if i had to do a HECPO course after working in Iraq for another major company i was told it would be a requirement. Not blowing my own trumpet but having worked in a hostile environment for 2 years and having a vast amount of cp experience in the mil and civ i found it a little insulting. My theory is that yet again it is another money spinner for crg. Yes they do guarantee work when you do complete it, however with the wages they pay i don't actually think its worth it. Olive, Armour, Global, Aegis are as big and good if not better and have good standards and are recruiting. I agree with what people have said that if you want a foot in the door and want to goto the mid east immediately then yes crg is prob best option, but if you have a vast amount of experience and knowledge of cp and mid east i feel it would be a waste of money.

[CPO445]

if you want to do a course then go to a training company, if you want a job go to a recruitment company. bit of a blunt statement but dont rely on getting a job just because you have trained with anyone

[Andy23sas]

Thanks everyone for all your comments. On speaking to Control Risks today, they said that I would need at least 5 years militay experience and been on 3 operational tours to work in Iraq?
I have 3 years Infantry reserve experience and 10 years Correctional and Ministry Of Defence Police experience, including firearms and tactics trained. What are my geniune chances of work in Iraq or anywhere else around the world?
Look forward to your replys
Andy

[neiljordan]

Andy

Just do their course, if you pass then they'll offer you something. A mate of mine, who has never seen a DPM suit in his life or done 3 operational tours but, was a member of Avon & Somerset Civil Police Tatical Patrol/Support Gp, did the CRG CP & HE Cses last year. He passed, was offered a job in Baghdad and worked at the Embassy for 1 or 2 rotations and is now working for Aegis in the North of the country.

That's about a genuine as your chances get. Either way it's going to cost you money and you've had some good advice from what I can see from the other people on this thread. It doesn't matter what we think, you have to take the step of leaving a settled, reasonably safe lifestyle and potentially opting for one that is far less settled and make no bones about it, if its Iraq or Afghanistan, as dangerous a place as you're ever likely to work in. So don't go in to this half hearted...

Neil