Not many people in the UK have the detailed knowledge and real-world experience Nigel Thomas does regarding close protection (CP). Nigel’s career spans service in the Royal Marines, the Special Reconnaissance Regiment, and the 22 SAS. When injury forced him to leave this specialist military world, he brought his elite-level knowledge to the private security sector.
As the CEO and founder of Blue Mountain Group (BMG), Nigel has operated in the most demanding environments. He has protected A-list celebrities and royalty, managed security in hostile zones, and trained the next generation of security professionals. He then went on to build Blue Mountain Group from the ground up. His passion became a business with a glowing reputation in the security industry.
This blog post captures Nigel’s no-nonsense approach and experience-led advice for anyone considering a career in Close Protection. It’s real and gritty and might change your mind about how you think about the job. Read on to find out more.
Do You Think You Want to be a Close Protection Officer?
You’ve probably seen the movies with the sunglasses, sharp suits, and blacked-out cars. Maybe somebody you met said they looked after a celebrity, and you thought it all sounded glamorous. But Nigel has pulled back the curtain on the reality of the work of a close protection professional.
Nigel Thomas, CEO and Founder of Blue Mountain Group, explains,
“You might have talked with your friends, and perhaps they said, 'Oh, we looked after Beyonce, or we looked after Take That!' But have they actually looked after them? Have they actually been in their changing rooms and travelled in the vehicles with them? Or were they actually working as static security at an event?”
A close protection role is not for tourists who want to watch an event. It’s a serious occupation. It’s for people who can:
- Function under pressure
- Show up for others when it matters the most
- Stay alert without anybody noticing you
Nigel gives you the reality on the ground:
“The client might get up at 7 in the morning, but you must be up at 5. The client goes to bed at midnight. You don't go to bed till one. That only gives you four or five hours of sleep every night. And you're doing that day in, day out, week on week out for a period of time while they're on tour.”
Training that Will Transform You as Well as Certify You
Gaining an SIA Level 3 Close Protection Licence is essential to working as a close protection officer. But how you receive your training and who trained you are as important. Anyone can take a course, go through the motions, and get their certification. We also help you make a positive transformation in your life.
We focus on giving you the life skills for a successful close protection career. We work to ensure you are ready to take on any close protection role when you finish training with us. We even have a BMG Roadmap to help you secure work after completing the close protection course.
The Real Truth About Close Protection
Our training doesn’t just tick the box for certification. We are preparing you for the reality of the job. Nigel explains how deep your close protection training can get,
“We like to push you to the limits so that we can find out who you are as a character. But also for you to find out how you operate under pressure.
The last thing you want to do is to flare up in front of a client and lose your job, and not just lose your job, but your reputation. It's a small world that we work in, and reputation is everything.”
In other words, the training isn’t just about doing drills, there is a lot more going on behind the scenes. It’s about building:
- Emotional control
- Professional Resilience
- Self-awareness
You must have these things to work in a close protection role, but they could also one day save your life. It’s more than close protection training; you gain a full security skill set. It helps you in your career and in your personal life.
Why Train With Blue Mountain Group?
Nigel founded Blue Mountain Group to do security differently. He wanted to do it with integrity, with purpose, and with people at the heart of everything. That’s why the trainers at BMG aren’t just former operators. They are also communicators and mentors who genuinely care about the delegates.
“Training with Blue Mountain Group gives you a high standard of training in itself. We choose our instructors not just because they're very good at what they do in the industry. But because of their people skills and their passion for providing life skills back to the delegates.”
It is a learning environment that is as human as it is tough. It will stick with you long after the course ends.
A Training Location that Gives You An Immersive Experience
Blue Mountain Group also recently announced its new training centre in Hampshire at Warbrook House Heritage Hotel. The centre is on extensive grounds and is the perfect backdrop for our immersive training sessions. You get access to expert guest speakers and also provide security for real VIPs.
Our close protection course is tough and brutal, but we prepare you to be the best in your profession. When you train with BMG, you don’t just leave with a certificate. You also leave with a new mindset and a clearer understanding of your own strengths and limits. This experience is unique and will set you apart in the industry.
A Final Word from Nigel
If you’ve read this far, it could be because this life is calling to you. Maybe you are now ready to train like a professional. You’ll look the part and, more importantly, be the real deal for any close protection role. The truth about close protection is that it is not for everybody. But if it is for you, it could radically change your life for the better.
“True close protection isn’t about strength or show. It’s about planning, anticipation, discretion, and behaviour under stress.”
Nigel, CEO and Founder - Blue Mountain Group
Are you ready to find out if you have what it takes to become a close protection officer? Now, you can train with people who’ve done it and train others to do it right. Find out the truth about close protection and train with Blue Mountain Group. Immerse yourself in the reality of close protection and start a new career.
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