top of page
Mike Byrne

The 5th Profession - My Inspiration

I

thought I would share my personal story and my deep connection to the security industry.


The Spark to the Fire


When I was a kid, I moved a lot between Canada and England with my family. With this, I was exposed to a contrast between the country's history and culture. I remember hearing in a museum a story of knights and how they protected the people of the area. I also learned how many other countries had similar practices in their own way.


Then I learned of a more clear and more succinct way of explaining, what has always been a small interest.


The History of Communities


At the beginning of human interaction, there were two distinct responsibilities. You had Hunters and Gatherers.


The Hunter went looking for meat, leather and many resources provided by animals.

The Gatherer was responsible for finding seeds, growing foods, wood and additional resources.


These two skills would trade with each other, thus creating value. As both of these skills grew in demand, of help would be required. The Labourer. The Labourer is someone that could provide value with their hands and bodies. Fixing, holding, collecting, organization, company and comfort.


As these three professions interacted with each other in a more integrated experience, there was often a dispute in future planning, who should be in charge and other concerns of community building. This brings the development of the fourth profession. Community Leader. This can either be a political view, religious guidance or a combination of both. The community leader is responsible for bringing everyone together to work towards a common goal and values.


The risks, there is always an element of a person, that can use fear, violence or deceit to manipulate the other four professions. This behaviour can undermine the value of each skill and cause cracks in the community.


This results in the 5th Profession. Security and Protection. An individual or group that has the skills and ability to keep the other four safes. This is not a leadership position, but a profession of service. By helping the Hunter, Gatherer, Labourer and Community Leader feel safe and engage in meaningful trade, then a safe and productive community the result.


This is why the 5th profession is often considered to be the noblest of the 5 original professions.


What this means to me today


I founded SCOPE - Security Community Outreach Programs and Education as a safety & security company. I want to help you, so you can help keep others safe. I want people to feel that the security industry is a Nobel profession. There is an opportunity every day to engage with someone and find some small way to improve their day. From a smile and a hello, or a walk to their car. Everyone has a right to feel safe, and I feel we should help each other feel safe.


What does this mean for you?


Maybe by reading this, you might view your security role as different from just a job, but an opportunity to help one person each day in some small way. You can do this with more training to improve your skills, or having a more positive attitude at work.


I designed our 5th Profession shirts, as our way to give you some support and voice, and demonstrate you are a professional and proud to be a key to community safety and value.



 




33 views0 comments

Comments


bottom of page