FAQ

Security Training Frequently Asked Questions

Here are the types of frequently asked questions listed below. Scroll down, find your question, and get your answer.

(Updated: 30 OCT 2024)

 

GENERAL FAQs

Q: Where is the school located?

Q: How do I get to your school?

Q: Are there any pre-education requirements (high school diploma)?

Q: What other languages beside English do you offer the classes in?

Q: How flexible are your class schedules?

Q: Do your unarmed and armed security courses lead to a certification in the security field?

Q: What is your company's policy regarding tuition, refund, rejection, retraining, and student records?

 

UNARMED SECURITY CLASS FAQs

Q: What is the Unarmed Security Course?

Q: When is your 20-Hour Unarmed Security Course?

Q: What age do I need to be to attend the 20-Hour Unarmed Security Course?

Q: Can I walk in on the day of class and pay? 

Q: How easy is it to pass your courses?

Q: When I complete the class, will I have proof of completion for my own records and to provide prospective employers?

Q: If I lose my original / copy of my certificate, will you replace it?

Q: What materials/equipment do I need for each class?

Q: So, I really want to be a security officer in Illinois…but, FEES, FEES, FEES. Can you tell me what are the total fees for training, any fingerprinting fees, application fees, and any other fees?

Q: Do you offer job placement?

 

FINGERPRINTING/PERC CARD FAQs

Q: What is a PERC Card? Do I need one as a security officer?

Q: Where do I go for fingerprinting?

Q: I have completed my fingerprinting. Where do I check to see the fingerprinting results?

Q: How long does the PERC Card take to process?

Q: My Permanent Employee Registration Card (Blue/PERC) was lost or destroyed. How do I get another one?
Q: My Permanent Employee Registration Card (Blue/PERC) has expired. How do I renew it?

Q: I have been convicted of a felony (or misdemeanor). Will I be approved for the PERC Card?

ARMED SECURITY CLASS FAQs

Q: What is the Armed Security Course?

Q: When is your 20-Hour Armed Security Course?

Q: What age do I need to be to attend the 20-Hour Armed Security Course?

Q: When are your Illinois Concealed Carry Courses?

Q: Will there be any physical contact during class?

Q: If I lose my original / copy of my certificate, will you replace it?

Q: Can I bring an audio/video (tape) recorder to record any class?

Q: Do you teach the armed security course, or any firearm course, with real live firearms and ammunition?

Q: I am a concealed carry licensee. Am I allowed to bring my firearm into your school?

Q: When I complete the class, will I have proof of completion for my own records and to provide prospective employers?

 

GENERAL FAQs

 

Q: Where is the school located?

A: We are located on the south side of Chicago, Illinois in the Chatham neighborhood, 644 E. 79th Street (By Champlain Ave.) in Chicago.

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Q: How do I get to your school?

A: We are Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) ACCESSIBLE by multiple buses and trains and are vehicle accessible.

 

BY PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION (CTA):

 

     BUS:

     Board the 79th Street Bus eastbound or westbound to S. Champlain Ave. 

     Board the 79th Street Bus (SCHEDULE HERE) to travel east or west to S. Champlain Ave. Bus Stop.

     

TRAIN to BUS:

     Board the Chicago Transit Authority RED LINE train (SCHEDULE HERE) south toward 79th Street stop;

     Board the 79th Street Bus (SCHEDULE HERE) west to S. Western Ave. bus stop.

 

BY VEHICLE:

From the NORTH (North Suburbs / North Side of Chicago traveling south):

Drive on Interstate 94 (I-94) and exit 79th Street. Take 79th Street east and continue to S. Champlain Ave. Look for the blue awning "BopBizCenter" on the business. 

 

 

From the SOUTH (South Suburbs /South Side of Chicago traveling north):

Drive on Interstate 94 (I-94) north and exit 79th Street. Take 79th Street east and continue to S. Champlain Ave. Look for the blue awning "BopBiz Center" on the business. 

 

Q: Are there any pre-education requirements (high school diploma)?

A: No. Come as you are.

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Q: What other languages beside English do you offer the classes in?

A: At this time, we only offer our courses in the English spoken and written language.

 

Q: How flexible are your class schedules?

A: We at Security Training Concepts offer various class schedules. Click HERE to go to our security training 

'CLASSES' page. You can download the next two month class schedules or choose the specific class you are interested in and see what dates are online for booking. Find your desired course and the days and times.

 

Q: Do your unarmed and armed security courses lead to a certification in the security field?

A: Yes. When a student completes either our unarmed or armed security course, they are certified as an Illinois unarmed or armed security officer.

 

Q: What is your company's policy regarding tuition, refund, rejection, retraining, and student records?

A. Simple. No refunds. No refunds. No refunds. No refunds. No refunds. Be certain you want to attend our class. We go through a lot to put our classes together. We can't get our money back from these entities. You can't either. No refunds. No refunds. No refunds. No refunds. No refunds.

UNARMED SECURITY CLASS FAQs

 

Q: What is the Unarmed Security Course?

A: Our Signature 20-Hour Unarmed Security Course will prepare you for employment in the security field by educating you regarding the important knowledge, skills, and abilities needed by persons in this field. Graduates will receive a State of Illinois Certificate of Completion of a Basic Security Training Course. Course tuition includes all materials, handouts, and hilarity will ensue. LOL. Bring a sense of humor and understanding with ya! You can get a certificate anywhere. With us, get trained to be a better people person.  Get trained for the worst and the best here. Get challenged to be the best. For life. For work. For humanity. We make GREAT Security Officers. Period. Jobs await. Will you be ready?

 

Q: When is your 20-Hour Unarmed Security Course?

A: Please click HERE to go to our class schedule. Find your course and look at/for the days and times. We have four options for you to obtain your IDFPR (State) Certified 20-Hr. Basic Unarmed Security Training: 

$50 - Classroom

$50 - Online

 

Q: What age do I need to be to attend the 20-Hour Unarmed Security Course?

A: You need to be 18 years of age.

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Q: Can I walk in on the day of the class and pay?

A: As of January 2020, we require all classes to be paid by a minimum deposit ONLY. There might not be a seat available for you as we require ALL students to pre-pay to reserve a seat. Materials and other class-related items have to be purchased before hand based on the number of students. We will always take walk-ins based on a space-available basis.

 

Q: How easy is it to pass your courses?

A: We here at Security Training Concepts teach and progress in our courses as fast as the slowest person. One team – one fight.  However, there are a few learning skills we cannot teach that you must come to class with. If you do the following, you WILL pass the course:

 

     1. READ

     2. STUDY / TAKE NOTES

     3. PAY ATTENTION

     4. ASK QUESTIONS

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Q: When I complete the class, will I have proof of completion for my own records and to provide prospective employers?

A: Yes. For certain courses, you will receive state-certified documents on the last day of class, provided all tests/qualifications are successfully met/completed. Other courses may require a wait period for state processing. You will be advised during the specific class, if this wait time applies. 

 

Q: If I lose my original / copy of my certificate, will you replace it?

A: Yes, ONLY if you have taken the class and passed within one (1) year of the request date. Replacements will be assessed a fee to be determined depending on the location of the training records. Said fee is $35. We’re not here to “break your pockets.” But, be careful not to lose your important records either.

 

 

Q: What materials/equipment do I need for each class?

A: Each course has its own requirements. At a minimum, all classes require students to bring paper and pen. If you have photo  identification, you must bring it to class. If not, you should get one from the Illinois Secretary of State Driver Services Facility. 

 

Q: So, I really want to be a security officer in Illinois…but, FEES, FEES, FEES. Can you tell me what are the total fees for training, any fingerprinting fees, application fees, and any other fees?

A: Great question. We have one option for you to obtain your IDFPR (State) Certified 20-Hr. Basic Unarmed Security Training. NOTE: Always check to see if we are in a sale:

$48 - Online Classroom Training

$50 - In-Person Classroom Training

$65 - Fingerprinting (Mandatory, regardless of other occupational/other reason fingerprinting)

$55 - PERC Card Processing (State charges $55; you will process your own PERC application as it is exclusively online. In class, you will receive instructions and a video tutorial after fingerprinting.)

 

Choose your class option, add that plus fingerprinting. There’s your total. You can pay for each item individually or together. Fingerprinting must come first. Cannot pay for the PERC card without being fingerprint. Please check out our upcoming classes here online and plan to attend ahead. Just find a class that's convenient for you, pay online or in person or over the phone, and attend. It's just that simple!

 

 

Q: Do you offer job placement assistance?

A: Yes. There are a great number of security companies looking for qualified and trained persons to fill their ranks and protect  their varying clients’ interests. Our Unarmed/Armed Security Courses prepare our students to enter the security profession with relevant, recent, and real-world training. Students of our Unarmed/Armed Security Courses who fully complete our security training courses, receive a Security Company Job Placement Assistance Sheet that lists the Illinois Department of Professional and Financial Regulation (IDFPR)-licensed security companies that hire persons holding valid security training credentials. However, Security Training Concepts and MABMA Enterprises, LLC MAKES NO GUARANTEE that any company is actively hiring at the time of the student’s receipt of the job placement assistance sheet nor do we make any guarantee that any student will be hired by these or any other security companies. A student’s ability to obtain employment in the security field will likely depend on other factors pertaining to the individual student and/or company beyond the security training we provide and beyond our knowledge of the student, their background in its entirety, and/or the company's hiring practices, policies, or procedures. Please, take note of this.

 

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FINGERPRINTING/PERC CARD FAQs

 

Q: What is a PERC Card? Do I need one as a security officer?

A: The private security profession in the State of Illinois is regulated by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation pursuant to the Illinois Private Detective, Security, Alarm, and Locksmith Act of 2004 (225 ILCS 447). Among the qualifications to be a private security officer, the Permanent Employee Registration Card or PERC Card is a requirement. The PERC Card, commonly thought to be a class, is not a class; it is a background check completion card, a necessary card needed to be employed as a security officer. You must be fingerprinted to get that card. Fingerprinting cost with us at Security Training Concepts (Just the Tips Fingerprinting) is $65. PERC Card Processing must be completed exclusively online. You will process your PERC Card. The cost is $55.

 

Q: Where do I go for fingerprinting?

A: Our fingerprinting services are being conducted in our office. Click HERE for fingerprinting.

 

Q: I have completed my fingerprinting. Where to I check to see the fingerprinting results?

A: Click HERE to go to the Illinois Department of Professional and Financial Regulation's Fingerprint Return Results page. The Fingerprint Return Results page may only be used and will only display results for persons applying for a Permanent Employee Registration Card (the Blue/PERC Card). The Fingerprint Return Results page will require you to enter your last name, first name's initial, and your social security number in order to receive the fingerprint return results. Your results will either read 'PENDING' or 'ELIGIBLE.' In order for a security contractor agency to hire you and place you to work, your individual results must read 'ELIGIBLE.'

 

Q: How long does the PERC Card take to process?

A: PERC Cards are issued by IDFPR within 6-8 weeks and made available for printing at IDFPR's eLicense website. You can check the status of your PERC Card HERE. All processing time projections depend on state processing times, delays, and other foreseen and unforeseen events delaying processing. 

 

Q: My Permanent Employee Registration Card (Blue/PERC) was lost or destroyed. How do I get another one?

A: We charge $15.00 to reprint and laminate a PERC Card.  

 

 

Q: My Permanent Employee Registration Card (Blue/PERC) has expired. How do I renew it?

A: If the PERC Card is not in the renewal status (the time of the year that ALL PERC Cards must be renewed), we can assist you in completing a renewal application. YOU WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO APPLY FOR A NEW PERC CARD, ONLY a renewed one. Click HERE to start the process of renewing your PERC with us. 
 

Q: I have been convicted of a felony (or misdemeanor). Will I be approved for the PERC Card?

A: The answer, in short, is it depends. Please read the following: we train persons convicted of misdemeanors and felonies in the Unarmed Security job training Course. You must then apply for the Permanent Employee Registration (PERC) Card issued by the The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR). IDFPR considers the background of each person who possesses one on a case-by-case basis. They make the determination, once you have been fingerprinted and applied for the PERC as to whether or not your background is so bad where it would be dangerous to the public if you from serving the public as a security officer. Persons convicted of felonies are unable to be armed security officers due to the inability to legally possess a firearm. However, there are persons convicted of felonies who are working as active unarmed security officers. The only way to know for sure if you can obtain the PERC is to complete the Unarmed Security training, be fingerprinted, and apply for the PERC. You cannot be put in the position to be told yes unless you put yourself in the position to be told no. The only way to be told no by IDFPR is to apply. Hope this helps. Life is not over for you. Other training agencies may not train you. We believe in you. Believe in yourself. 
 

 

 

ARMED SECURITY CLASS FAQs

 

Q: What is the Armed Security Course?

A: Our 28-Hour Armed Security Course is an addition to the 20-Hour Unarmed Security Course and will prepare you for employment in the security field as an armed security officer by educating you regarding the important knowledge, skills, and abilities needed by armed persons in this field. STUDENTS TAKING ARMED MUST HAVE COMPLETED THE UNARMED SECURITY COURSE!! Course tuition includes all materials, handouts, semi-automatic firearm usage, ammunition, targets, hearing/eye protection, and range fee. Like the unarmed security course, hilarity will ensue. LOL. Bring a sense of humor and understanding with ya...and leave your feelings at home! We are talking guns here. 

 

Q: This is my first time desiring to learn how to shoot a gun and carry a gun for armed security employment. How will you teach me?

A:  Well.... Being that this What makes us THE place to go to for your  Armed Security Training? Safety. Sweat. Guts. Challenge. Mindset. Conflict Avoidance. Humility. No Excuses. Be-Know-Do. Can vs. Must. Anger Management. Most importantly, an HILARIOUSLY AWESOME class on a shoe-string budget.  

 

Be advised: If you want some cupcake, soft, touch-your-back, feelings-centered, ego-massaged, "teach you in your comfort zone" gun course, this isn't for you. In fact, GUNS aren't for you. We are NOT like those looking to take your money without telling you the reality of gun ownership and usage. They will not be with you in a gun fight. You will. You MUST survive. What you learn here is UNMATCHED. What you learn here is LIFE-CHANGING. You will feel like you've CHEATED US out of money for the knowledge you will gained. It'll be the BEST money you've spent on initial firearms training. 

 

Others may charge less JUST to match us. God bless em’. Oh, believe, you might pay something else with them later by surprise. Ammo. Range fee. Something. Will they let you out of class early only to violate state law and risk getting your license revoked? Will they make you Range Ready or Threat Ready? We make you Threat Ready...and you don't have to give an arm, a leg, or your wallet to get great training either. Our reviews speak for themselves. It's your life. Choose wisely.

 

Q: When is your 28-Hour Armed Security Course?

A: Please click HERE to go to our class schedules. Find your course and look at/for the days and times.

 

 

Q: What age do I need to be to attend the 28-Hour Armed Security Course?

A: You need to be 21 years of age.

 

Q: What is the difference between the Armed Security Class and the Concealed Carry Class?

A: The difference between the Armed Security Class and the Concealed Carry Class is simply occupation versus non-occupational self-protection against a deadly threat. The Armed Security Class certifies you to carry a firearm for last-resort use against an imminent deadly threat while ON-DUTY employed in the occupation as an armed security officer. The Concealed Carry Class certifies you to, when licensed by the IL State Police, carry a loaded concealable firearm on your person in places as authorized by law for your personal/non-occupational use against an imminent deadly threat.

 

 

Q: When are your Illinois Concealed Carry Courses?

A: Click HERE for the GREATEST Concealed Carry Course you'll EVER Attend: Ours.   

 

 

Q: Will there be any physical contact during class?

A: Yes. In order to demonstrate procedures and correct posture, it may be necessary to physically touch you in order to demonstrate procedures and correct posture. Students will be advised of this prior to any actual touching.
 

Q: Can I bring an audio/video (tape) recorder to record any class?

A: No. No student is allowed to record any portion of any course taught or sponsored by Security Training Concepts, unless we authorize you to do so. Any student caught doing so shall be immediately asked to leave and barred from attendance in any Security Training Concepts. Further legal action may be initiated.

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Q: Do you teach the armed security course, or any firearm course, with real live firearms and ammunition in the classroom portion of the class?

A: No. There is no need. We are rather technologically savvy and are up-to-date on the latest tools that could be and are being used in firearms training industry. Our instructors use a host of firearm simulators and non-ammunition firing replicas, firearms that operate mechanically like an actual firearm but do not fire projectiles (bullets) of any kind. This assists us in our mission to provide you with the best training while keeping in mind that your safety comes first and foremost, and keeping in mind of your likely nervousness and our desire to ease that nervousness through instilling confidence that only comes through the right kind of training and repetition of the right skills of firearms marksmanship while reinforcing safety throughout your training experience with us.  Simply put: if you can handle ‘a toy’ firearm, then placing a real firearm in your hand would only prove dangerous for all involved. You don't touch a live firearm until you pass the written exam and are actually on the range. WHEW!!! What a relief, huh?  

 

Q: I am a concealed carry licensee. Am I allowed to bring my firearm into your school?

A: No. While we are champions of and for concealed carry and are avid members and supporters of the 2nd Amendment United States constitutional right to bear arms, we are also avid members of safety procedures that keep you, your (potential) fellow classmates, our staff, our instructors, our business and community neighbors, and our guests safe. Our facility is secure and our instructors and staff are current and/or former law enforcement officers, are armed, and trained in law enforcement/rapid deployment tactics in the event of an unsafe deadly force situation. We also call the Chicago Police Department to respond to any unsafe situation warranting police intervention. Therefore, no firearms, except those of MABMA Enterprises, LLC staff and law enforcement officers, shall be allowed to enter the building. If this deters you from patronizing our business, we apologize for the inconvenience this may cause you, BUT, the safety of the above named persons and our duty to ensure it outweighs your unfortunate sentiments. We ARE serious about safety; you SHOULD be too. Nevertheless, we expect all students and guests to follow the provisions of 430 ILCS 66, the Illinois Concealed Carry Act and any other applicable laws. Violators are subject to arrest. It’s not worth it.

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Q: When I complete the class, will I have proof of completion for my own records and to provide prospective employers?

A: For the Armed Security Course, no. Unlike the Unarmed Security Course where you receive a Certification of Completion of a Basic Training Course certificate immediately after class, the Armed Security certification process is different. The Unarmed Security certification is given to you immediately upon completion of the class and is not maintained by IDFPR. It is your responsibility to maintain the certificate. However, you will receive the official state-certified Certificate of Completion of a Statutorily-Prescribed Firearm Training Course from the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR), by email available to print out online, within 6 - 8 weeks after the submission of the Certification of Completion of Firearms Training to the IDFPR.  Click HERE to watch a YouTube video from Principal Instructor Mike for a more detailed explanation.