ORANGE, Conn. (WTNH) — In the wake of mass shootings, including an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, more districts in Connecticut added armed guards to watch over their students and staff.

However, it’s not only schools that are looking for protection.

As violent crime increases, more business owners and individuals turn to places like Goldeneye Training Academy to stay safe.

“The gun comes into a slide lock where it’s empty, and you need your gun up into a working area,” Joe Porto of the academy said.

Porto, owner and operator of Goldeneye Training Academy, said that within the past year or so, he has seen a significant uptick in inquiries for the classes he offers. He said this includes security officer training, armed security training, CPR classes and pistol permit training.

Porto and his staff have all been employed in various levels of the criminal justice and medical industries.

“I wanted to bring something that was more – that incorporated some textbook, but a lot of real field experience into the delivery of the lessons,” Porto said.

He said he sees a 50-50 split where people want to come to the academy to protect themselves and those looking to build up credentials in the security industry.

Goldeneye offers an agency referral incentive. Porto said he keeps in touch with his former students who are now armed guards protecting banks, schools and different sectors.