Jess profile 1x1

Jess – Security Consultant

Jess is a Security Consultant for RHEA in Canada. She has worked in the security industry since 2019, and is now based in RHEA’s Ottawa office, where she works with multiple clients and on many projects, mostly in the rail / transit sector.

What does a typical day in your working life entail?

My working week often looks different from day-to-day. We have several rail projects on the go at one time, and I often split my time between them every day, depending on the deliverables for said week. The transit team at RHEA often switches our security hats, and provide consulting for the constructor, and sometimes we work for the client/stakeholders as Technical Advisors. I often attend weekly meetings and impromptu meetings with our clients: surrounding deliverables, weekly touchpoint meetings, providing physical security support, or acting in our Technical Advisor roles. A part of our transit-related project deliverables is attending client sites and providing security certification (site-audits) to assist in the handover of the projects to the client. We also get the opportunity to travel and meet the architectural teams we work with throughout the design phase of many projects.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

While my work is predominately in the rail and transit sector, I often work on non-transit related projects, providing Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) consulting services. One of the things I enjoy most about my position at RHEA, is how I can use transferrable skills and have the opportunity to often work with repeat clients and design teams to deliver a great product. The rapport we create with those in our industry is one of the most important aspects of the job. We love seeing familiar faces on projects across Canada, and now we’re seeing these connections on international projects too.

Do you have any tips for people trying to get jobs in your area of expertise?

Anyone you meet in the security industry will likely tell you that our industry is incredibly small. This is a good thing, as our networks are easily attainable. Security associations, such as ASIS International, provide multiple certification and training opportunities to gain security certification. ASIS International is also great for networking and finding other security professionals in the field, who often have years of experience and expertise. In my case, the ability to adapt and the willingness to learn something new worked in my favour, and I’ve been in the security field for over five years.

How do you wind down after a working day?

In the winter, you can catch me at many Ottawa Senators hockey games. In the summer, my husband and I often visit the local driving range to work on our non-existent golf skills, and we almost always have a home improvement project on the go, just for ‘fun’!