How to Train for Residential Alarm System Installation

Look for a residential alarm system installation training program that meets your needs. Most positions in this industry require both academic and on-the-job training. Consider completing an apprenticeship, which offers four years of paid, on-the-job training combined with classroom instruction. A pre-apprenticeship program that takes five to six months to complete at a local community college also might be available to help you to get connected to a good company to apprentice with, reports SchoolsInTheUSA.com.

Contact security industry associations such as the Electronic Security Association, which also offers training options in security installation as well as video surveillance and access control. The National Training School through this association offers the choice of traditional classroom or online training. In addition, the Metropolitan Burglar and Fire Alarm Association offers a course at the New York City College of Technology in New York (see Resources). Association courses can last anywhere from 14 hours to even 72 hours. Trade association programs might require you to have a high school diploma or GED to enroll.

Take courses on topics such as National Electrical Code requirements, home security automation and installing cameras, according to Education-Portal.com. Study how closed-circuit TVs work, how intrusion systems operate and how to manage security projects while in your chosen training program. You should learn information about conduits, low voltage cabling and even construction materials/methods.

Study additional topics including site surveys and planning, wireless communication, electrical theory and safety. Also, learn how to test and inspect various systems when troubleshooting residential alarm systems. Get hands-on experience with completing these duties and using soldering and other power tools while in your training program.

Search for certifications available in this industry, which can boost your employment opportunities. For example, the Electronic Security Association's 22-hour alarm/security technician online course actually leads to certification that lasts a year if you pass a two-hour examination. You can maintain this certification by completing 12 hours of continuing education requirements each year. In addition, some manufacturers in the residential alarm system industry offer certification for installation and maintenance of their particular systems.