What qualifications do you need for a P.I

[truereddevil]

I,m looking at getting into this does your s.i.a door badge cover you on it or do you have to actually go to college and do a course for it any help will be muchly appreciated thanks

[doggyc69]

Dodgy tash and a red Ferrari convertible








taxi

[Firebird_2]

At the moment I'm 90% certain you need f**k all - but like CP, it's an industry that's hard to crack without the in-road.

[Boz]

It's very, VERY easy to get into but exceptionaly hard to be a half decent if not good operator (can be quite costly though as decent kit is not cheap).

I have done quite a bit of insurance work through a recommendation of a CP client and had some good results yet when I started out one chap who I was teamed up with gave the game away within 10 minutes of every job we were assigned to and he was a self proclaimed "expert" - lesson learned, only work with people you know and trust implicitly as it will reflect poorly on you.

The easiest way to explain it is some guys are sh1t hot uniformed guards making 50+ detered thefts each month but crap store detectives yet a good store detective would easily make 30+ arrests a month due to being able to adapt to his surroundings and blending in - I know the job roles of PI/SO/SD really are worlds apart but to a novice it is the easist comparison to make without going into the pros and cons.

[truereddevil]

Ha ha doggy ive learnt already that your the joker on here so basically look like magnum

On a serious note and hope this doesn,t sound like a stupid question but do you think even if i did abit of work experience for a company for free to see if i would like it is the way to go

Reason i asked about a qualification was i have joined another site called e-legal gathering and they were saying go do this course at a college

[Firebird_2]

Ha ha doggy ive learnt already that your the joker on here so basically look like magnum

On a serious note and hope this doesn,t sound like a stupid question but do you think even if i did abit of work experience for a company for free to see if i would like it is the way to go

Reason i asked about a qualification was i have joined another site called e-legal gathering and they were saying go do this course at a college

There's a load of talk in the industry about the second phase of industries to be hit by the SIA - certain companies are implying they have a heads up on what the course criteria will be and are filling courses based on half information. Until you read it here or on the SIA site, I wouldn't put too much thought in to it.

As for doing a bit of an internship - if you want to do it, I see nothing wrong with it - it'll give you an insight and give them a free tea-boy

Don't let them mug you off though and make it clear that if they don't like you after a shift or two, you'd rather they tell you than start exploiiting you.

[Boz]

See, now that's what I would call a PG tip.....

Red, if you want to be a PI you can work that out for yourself, let us know when you do.

[truereddevil]

Cheers for the advice guys

[PI Guy]

Hi everyone

You do not at present need a SIA license to be a PI in the UK. You do need to be registered with the ICO (registered under the data protection act) and it would be nice if you also had professional indemnity insurance and have a consumer credit license.

The SIA have more or less put off licensing until at least 2013.

The minimum standard of training (IMHO) is the API course. Their website can be found here http://www.pi-academy.com/

[annielatro]

I have a Level 4 Diploma in Private Investigating Distinction(NCEF) and it's basically useless then lol?

[hippy]

I have a Level 4 Diploma in Private Investigating Distinction(NCEF) and it's basically useless then lol?

Yes