Skills for Security host first security systems competition at WorldSkills UK

 The first ever Electronic Security Systems Competition has taken place at WorldSkillsUK (WSUK) in Birmingham. Hosted by Skills for Security, six of the best apprentices from across England, Scotland and Northern Ireland competed over a two day competition with the eventual winner being crowned WSUK champion.

Apprentices completed tasks only found in an exceptional engineer and aimed to raise the standard of training and engineer throughout the UK. Apprentices on day one installed, commissioned intruder alarms and on day two, carried out a remote maintenance via cloud software, where they identified and rectified faults within the system before proceeding with the completion of a full preventative maintenance on both the intruder and CCTV system.

The competition was eventually won by a former finalist of IFSEC International Engineers of Tomorrow competition Fraser Armstrong from Specialised Fire & Security, representing Belfast Metropolitan College.

David Scott, Managing Director, Skills for Security, said: The last few days have been an excellent opportunity to showcase a career in electronic security engineering and we congratulate the finalists and eventual winner Fraser Armstrong.

“There are 70,000 young people who attend WSUK and if we can attract one percent of these people we would be able to double the number of apprentices currently in the industry right now. There is currently a skills shortage in our industry, so now is the time for companies in the sector to take on an apprentice and for young people to be aware of an excellent opportunity to build a rewarding career in our industry.”

The competition was sponsored by Skills for Security, CSL Group, HIK Vision & Texecom Ltd.

ENDS

Press contact: Katherine Ingram BSIA PR & Communications Officer

Mobile: 07764 968196 [email protected]

Editors Notes

Skills for Security offers training, specialist services, information, advice and guidance to employers, employees

and trainers in the private security sector.

Like many sectors, the UK’s private security sector has a need to continually improve its skills in order to remain

competitive and relevant in an ever-changing world. Our role is to help organisations to devise, plan, budget for,

implement and measure skills-development programmes and apprenticeships. This can include helping them

to use funds set aside by the Apprenticeship Levy to establish their own learning academy.

https://skillsforsecurity.org.uk/apprenticeships/

The British Security Industry Association, as the voice of the professional security industry, represents multiple

sectors of private security in the UK. Its members provide over 70% of the UK’s security products, services

and they adhere to strict quality standards. For more information visit http://www.bsia.co.uk2