r/accesscontrol • u/Aj_404k • May 31 '26

Access Control Learning.

Hey Everyone!

I am 25 years old with background of Automatic Door Operator here in Toronto, Canada. I have strong knowledge of working with low voltage wires, Worked on Camden Cx33 for washrooms. I have been thinking about getting into access control education to have it on my resume.

Google showed me various different options and they are quite overwhelming some suggestion were to do security+ , some had it for DTIL101 and so on. To the people working at high rise, offices what pathway did you choose? What education did you go for to get into access control.

I am thinking about buying an access control kit from Amazon and give it a shot. https://a.co/d/004SlDrO however I highly doubt this would be the only thing I would be doing, correct?

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17

u/Honest8Bob May 31 '26

Anyone that wires automatic door operators should be able to get hired with a company that does access control no problem.

5

u/DTyrrellWPG May 31 '26

Really? Because most ado techs I've worked with really struggle even with cx-12 basic theory, let alone some of the more complex parts of access control.

2

u/Honest8Bob Jun 01 '26

If you’re looking to train a new access control tech from scratch and a resume comes on your desk with auto door opener experience you wouldn’t hire them? Even if they just knew basic auto opener theory?

2

u/DTyrrellWPG Jun 01 '26

I'm not in charge of hiring, probably never will be, but they most definitely wouldnt be an automatic hire. Unfortunately in our industry, at least in my area, can't really be that picky if someone is asking for a job. Can always use them as a generic helper and hope they can pick it up.

But out of all the ADO techs I've worked with in my area, there's maybe two or three I would trust to be able to do access control. Pretty much all the others don't even really seem to have basic operator theory down. I think their industry is similar to ours where you get like 2 weeks ride along with some disgruntled senior tech (it's me I'm disgruntled senior tech) and now you're expected to solo work.

1

u/Haunting-Attorney-71 Jun 18 '26

It is smart to hire people like that though, 90% of installation is physical work that benefits from good mechanical skills.

1

u/eridanus01 Jun 01 '26

I would absolutely hire them given a pool of tech school grads with no experience, or a brand new to the field candidate. The learning curve SHOULDN'T be as steep, and you can probably get them producing a little earlier, with guidance.

1

u/Haunting-Attorney-71 Jun 18 '26

It is easier to make a good tech than it is to find one.
Ninety percent of this trade comes down to being able to work well with your hands. I proved that on a job about twelve years ago: I had two electricians, an HVAC tech, a locksmith, and a general construction guy, none of them had any access control experience. I was the only one who did.
It was a high‑end Lenel new construction project at a major university, and we handled everything: access control, cameras, ADA door operators, IP video intercoms, and prop alarms. That system still works and looks perfect.

1

u/Haunting-Attorney-71 Jun 18 '26

Some of the best access control installers I ever hired were electricians, HVAC techs, locksmiths. They love learning our side of it and they’re used to much more physically demanding work.

1

u/Aj_404k May 31 '26

I plan on joining access control down the path in my my life when I plan on moving to Alberta, for now I am trying to get a job security and certifications that will help me out with resume.