together raising standards Meet the installer

Name: Steve Rees

Job title: Senior Project Manager

Company: Astra Security

Location: Bristol

Security life with Steve Rees of Astra Security in Bristol

Areas of expertise: CCTV and access control installation and maintenance

Certifications: NSI Gold

What would be a typical project for you?

Our projects can range from small retail outlets to very large scale distribution centres. We also have a lot of experience with industrial type systems such as power stations and manufacturers that required cameras to monitor a particular production process.

Do you have any ‘go to’ technology and manufacturers?

We primarily use Hanwha Vision for our core CCTV installations and Paxton for access control systems.

What is the best thing about working in this industry?

Working in the CCTV industry can provide a sense of purpose as you help improve public safety and security, preventing crime and protecting people and property.

The CCTV industry is constantly evolving, which means that you may have the opportunity to work with the latest cutting-edge technology, such as facial recognition software, thermal imaging, and video analytics.

Is third party certification beneficial?

Third party certification is very important to us and often a prerequisite from many of our clients, we are very proud with the all the hard work and team effort needed to hold NACOSS Gold accreditation.

Do you think there is an engineer skills shor tage? Any trouble recruiting?

The rapid advancements in technology and the increasing demand for more sophisticated surveillance systems require specialised expertise and technical skills. However, there are not enough qualified or experienced engineers available to meet this demand, which can lead to longer project completion times and higher costs for some companies.

Ongoing investment in training programs is very important to us, helping to keep our engineers up to date with the very latest technology.

What advice would you give to a younger version of yourself?

Appreciate the good things in your life, no matter how small they may be. Practicing gratitude can help you stay positive and optimistic, even during difficult times.

Will England ever win the World Cup again? Not in my lifetime.

If you won £25K what would you do with it? Most likely invest it for a rainy day.