PETITE and rosy-cheeked, Miss Norzilla Rahim, 18, does not look like your typical security officer.
But for the last four months, she has worked with security company Certis Cisco.
She is an aviation screening officer at Changi Airport, carrying out checks on airport staff at Terminal 2.
Miss Norzilla is among a growing number of women joining the booming security industry, traditionally dominated by men.
There are currently about 2,700 women officers employed by security agencies here, up from 1,800 at the end of 2005, said the Security Industry Regulatory Department of the Singapore Police Force.
There are currently about 280 agencies here.
Altogether, they hire about 26,000 officers, up from 14,000 four years ago. Include those hired in-house - by shipyards or shopping malls, for instance - and the total number of officers is about 40,000.
Salaries of these officers range between $1,300 and $1,600 a month.
Mr N. Silva, president of the Union of Security Employees, said that as Singapore becomes more developed, there is a need to hire more security personnel for new buildings.
Women security officers are essential at places such as Changi Airport's new Terminal 3 and at schools, said Mr Jeffrey Seah, director of the Security Industry Institute, which trains and licenses security guards here.
'There are female passengers and students at these places, and you need women security officers to carry out checks on them,' he explained.
Besides security checks, women in the security industry can monitor CCTV cameras and provide customer service, he added.
The increased demand has spelt good news for women looking to rejoin or enter the workforce, said Mr Silva.
Like Ms Magesvarry Ponnvsamy, 36, a mother of four who joined Certis Cisco last August, after approaching the North West Community Development Council for help to get a job.
'In other jobs, you usually do paperwork. This job is a lot more active, and we get to interact with the airport staff,' said Ms Magesvarry, who works a 12-hour shift at Changi Airport.
North West District Mayor Teo Ho Pin said flexible work options have helped draw women to the sector.
'Some firms offer shorter shifts and women who hope to work near their home can also choose to become security officers at a nearby condominium, for example,' added Dr Teo, who is the MP for Bukit Panjang.
Premier Security Cooperative is one company that is considering offering shorter shifts to get more women and older workers on board its staff of 450.
Its managing director Saraj Din said he is thinking about letting two people split a 12-hour shift.
'This will help in attracting women so they can supplement the manpower shortage that we currently face in this tight labour market.'
