From January to March the company says demand for guard services is up 45 per cent compared to winter 2009. What’s been driving the burst of business in December and January has been new clients looking for additional security during the Olympic period as companies in the lower mainland realize they need a more detailed security plan than they originally thought.

The US department of State issued an assessment recently noting that as security increases around Olympic venues, terrorists could shift their focus to other areas.

The guard work in B.C. consists primarily of guarding critical infrastructure such as port facilities, transportation systems, and tourist attractions. This demand means the company is hiring at an increased rate.

More than 300 extra people have been hired, fully trained, security cleared and licensed by Commissionaires BC since October 2009 for Olympic-related work. The company is still looking to hire and train another 30 to 40 of people by early February.

At a one-day hiring blitz in December, Commissionaires BC hired 54 people in eight hours. In a typical month the organization might receive 60 job applications, but last month they had over 500 applications.

The pay rate starts at $12.50/hour, additionally Commissionaires will offer a $4 per hour special Olympics allowance until March 6, 2010. These jobs are temporary, but could lead to continued employment. During this Olympic hiring period only, Commissionaires will provide Basic Security Training (BST) for free for the 6-day course. In order to participate in the hiring blitz, applicants must first submit their application via the company’s website.

Appropriate candidates are then invited to the hiring blitz for an in-person interview.

Those interested can find out more by visiting commissionaires.bc.ca Commissionaires BC has a team of more than 1,600 professionals.