Birmingham, January 2024 — Skills for Security, Organising Partner of WorldSkills UK (WSUK) is thrilled to announce the National Qualifer for the prestigious Electronic fire and security competitions will now be hosted at The Security Event (30 April – 2 May 2024), taking place at NEC Birmingham. 

WSUK aligns international best practices with national networks to enhance apprenticeship and technical education standards, collaborating with industry needs and government priorities. The competition draws thousands of students and apprentices across diverse sectors, including security systems, fire installations, cyber security, and more. 

At The Security Event, the WorldSkills competition will feature a live installation challenge, recognising and showcasing the next generation of security and fire systems installers from across the UK. The winners will proceed to the WorldSkills UK final competition in November. 

Tristan Norman, Group Event Director of The Security Event, is delighted for the partnership, saying, "Hosting the WorldSkills UK National Qualifier at The Security Event aligns perfectly with our commitment to advancing skills in the security and fire systems industry. We're proud to provide a platform for the next generation of talent to shine." 

David Scott, Managing Director of Skills for Security, adds, "The WSUK electronic fire and security competition is in its fifth year; over that time, we have seen over 2,000 individuals participate in the competition cycle across the whole of the UK. We are keen to continuously improve on the competition cycle, and this new move to The Security Event at the NEC aligns with our own organisational goals to improve accessibility to our competitions, raise our profile through strong industry partners and improve quality by attracting more prestigious partners to support us. We are extremely grateful to The Security Event for their support and investment back into the sector.” 

Richard Fogelman, Chief Executive of the National Security Inspectorate (NSI), which is a founding supporter of WSUK and part of the official adjudication team, states: “The profile and prestige of WSUK have captured the attention of the younger generation, a demographic that our industry aims to inspire. Those already working within the sectors recognise the breadth of fantastic opportunities evolving with technology, and it is important to amplify this message.  We are delighted The Security Event will host the National Qualifier and, building on last year’s competition, we anticipate the calibre of entries this year will be outstanding.  We invite show visitors to witness the spectacle of the competition, where the passion and skills of these young competitors are sure to inspire.”

Andrew Brown, representing The Security Systems and Alarms Inspection Board (SSAIB), concludes, "It's truly gratifying to witness the competition's ongoing growth each year. We are enthusiastic about endorsing and contributing to this event with the primary goal of enhancing the recognition of apprenticeships and opportunities within the sector, while shining a spotlight on the promising talent of the next generation."

The stakeholders involved in the WorldSkills competition include Skills for Security, CSL, NSI, SSAIB, and others, with additional support from industry organisations. Manufacturers like Dahua and Honeywell Fire have demonstrated their commitment by donating equipment, furthering initiatives to upskill individuals new to the industry. 

Registration for the WSUK will open on 26 February.  More information will be available shortly.

For queries regarding the WSUK 2024 competition, please email: Worldskills@skillsforsecurity.org.uk

About WorldSkills 

WorldSkills is an international organization that promotes vocational education and training by organising skills competitions around the world. These competitions, known as WorldSkills Competitions, bring together skilled young professionals from various countries to showcase their talents and abilities in different trade and technical skills. 

WorldSkills aims to inspire and motivate young people to pursue careers in vocational and technical fields. Founded in 1950, and has since grown into a global movement with member countries actively participating in the biennial WorldSkills Competitions. The organisation also engages in various initiatives, projects, and partnerships to promote excellence in vocational skills education and training worldwide.