Registration is open for the Engineers of Tomorrow competition, that returns to IFSEC for 2022.
As pre-pandemic, the Engineers of Tomorrow contest helps to raise the profile of engineering apprenticeships and the opportunities they represent within the sector. As a part of the IFSEC and FIREX International show each year, winners of regional heats compete in a live installation challenge at the London event. There are two separate competitions – one for electronic security systems, and the other for fire systems.
The winners will then proceed to the WorldSkills UK (WSUK) LIVE competition – the UK skills, apprenticeships and careers event. For the first time this year, both the electronic security and fire competitions will be represented at WSUK.
Register your interest for the 2022 Engineers of Tomorrow and WorldSkill UK competition on this link.
The competition aims to help tackle the growing engineering skills gap and attract and retain the next generation of security and fire systems installers. While the 2020 competition was unable to go ahead, due to the coronavirus pandemic and the cancelling of IFSEC 2020, 2021’s competition saw a record number of entries, despite the restrictions of the pandemic.
Engineers of Tomorrow will run on show floor from Tuesday to Thursday, May 17 to 19 at ExCeL in London Docklands. Apprentice finalists will get the chance to show off their skills in front of thousands of peers and professionals from the security and fire sectors.
David Scott, Managing Director at Skills for Security, says: “We’re thrilled to get back to the live event this year, where Engineers of Tomorrow finalists can compete in front of their own industry, and showcase the talent that we know, as training providers, they demonstrate on a weekly basis.
“In addition, to have both security and fire competitions represented at WSUK this year is another fantastic result for the event and industry. WSUK gives opportunity to shine a positive light on the security and fire engineering sector as a career of choice, attracting new young talent into the industry. It puts the industry on a pedestal alongside the Navy, BAE, NHS and other major sectors and showcases the industry as a fun, technology-driven industry where learning never stops.”
The Engineers of Tomorrow & WorldSkills UK timetable:
February-April: Registration open
4-29 April: Knowledge-based online assessments
29 April-24 June: Qualifiers
17-19 May: Engineers of Tomorrow finals at IFSEC and FIREX (ExCeL, London) – winners of both competitions go on to compete at WSUK
6-7 July: Announce national finalists
W/C 10 October: Bootcamp
November: WorldSkills UK National Finals
November – Winners announced at the Security & Fire Excellence Awards (Hilton Park Lane, London)
Last year regional heats still ran across all four UK nations, and the finals took place at Skills for Security’s HQ in Warrington. The regional heats took the form of a knowledge-based assessment which was completed online and invigilated by an employer or tutor. The winners were announced at the Security & Fire Excellence Awards in November, while the WorldSkills UK winners were announced live by Steph McGovern a week later. At the live show, Tom Sixsmith, Apprentice Fire & Security Engineer from EFT Group, was on a panel talking about the industry.
Jordan Duggan, Director at EFT Systems, added: “EFT Systems were delighted to have one of our apprentices Tom on the panel for the WSUK Ceremony. We have competed in this competition from the start for our sector and all apprentices at EFT recognise the importance of taking part not only in the competitions but also in promoting our sector which has a huge skills shortage. Tom did an excellent job of talking about our industry and apprenticeships and we look forward to him taking part in the competition!”
