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What to Study to Become a Private Investigator

Many private investigators start off in the profession as apprentices or in some capacity in law enforcement e.g. police detectives. There are even others who join the profession after serving in the armed forces. However, not everybody has the opportunity to get investigative training and experience by working in these professions. There is another route to become a private investigator.

There are courses that you can study that will provide you with the skills and knowledge you need when working as a private investigator.


Training Courses For Becoming A Private Investigator

There are many institutions that provide investigative training to people with no prior experience. In many of these places, you can start from scratch and gain the knowledge and skills that you need to become a private detective. You can choose to enrol in the classes part-time or full-time. It will all depend on how much time and effort you're able to dedicate to the course.

Alternatively, there are also institutions that offer distance learning opportunities. This will enable you to learn the knowledge and skills that you need in the profession from whichever location is convenient for you. However, examinations will have to be taken at a regional exam centre.

If you intend to work as a professional investigator that is licensed by the Security Industry Authority, you should only enrol in a course that leads to an IQ Level 3 Award for Private Investigators. It is the only certificate that's recognized by the SIA.


What Is Taught In A Private Investigative Course?

A typical private investigative training course will seek to teach the learners all they need to know to start working as private investigators. This means you'll be taught things like:

  • Investigative methods
  • Investigative tools
  • Skills that can help in investigative work
  • Legal issues in data collection etc.

Apart from the typical investigative course, you can also enroll in courses that will improve your competence in other fields that are relevant such as management, accounting, computer forensics etc.



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