The highly regarded Engineers of Tomorrow competition is designed to recognise and showcase the next generation of security and fire systems installers from across the UK. The competition helps to raise the profile of engineering apprenticeships and the opportunity they represent within the sector.

Usually taking place at IFSEC and FIREX International each year, winners of regional heats compete in a live installation challenge at the show. 2019’s competition saw over 100 entrants take part and, while the 2020 competition was unable to go ahead, due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, the 2021 competition was another huge sucess, with the finals held on the 18th and 19th November 2021 at Skills for Security’s dedicated training centre in Warrington. The winners – competing in WorldSkills UK for Electronic Security Systems, and the Engineers of Tomorrow finals for the fire competition – were announced at the Security and Fire Excellence Awards, and live on Channel 4’s Steph’s Packed Lunch in late November. 

The standards were once again extremely high this year, with over 160 entries across the two competitions. Congratulations to all those below who won, as well as those who made it into the final stages of the process:

Electronic Security Systems (WorldSkills UK winners)

• 1st place: Owen Nelson (EFT – Training Provider: Skills for Security)
• 2nd place: Gianluca Mori (Banham Group – Training Provider: Banham Academy)
  
• 3rd place: Richard Collingwood (JCI – Training Provider: Banham Academy)
  
• Highly commended: Thomas Docherty (JCI – Training Provider: New College Lanarkshire) and Peter Smylie (Beacon NI – Training Provider: South East Regional College)

Additional finalists
Lucas Hearn (Banham Group – Training Provider: Banham Academy)
Tony Steer (JCI – Training Provider: Banham Academy
Sean Kent (JCI – Training Provider: Banham Academy)
Josh Stewart (Assure Alarms – Training Provider: GTG Training)

Ben Blackledge, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, WorldSkills UK, said: “I want to offer my congratulations to all those that took part in our programme this year, especially the finalists. Our competitions and competition-based development programmes equip apprentices and students with the lifelong, world-class skills that will help increase UK productivity and competitiveness.”

The programme has a real impact on those taking part, with 90% of previous entrants saying their career progression improved after competing, and 86% stating their personal and employability skills had improved.

Fire Alarm Systems (Engineers of Tomorrow winners)

• 1st place: Adam Smylie (Beacon NI – Training Provider: South East Regional College)
• 2nd place: Jessica Goodson (JCI – Training Provider: Banham Academy)
• 3rd place: Tony Steer (JCI – Training Provider: Banham Academy)
  
• Highly commended: James  McIntyre (EFT Group – Training Provider: Skills for Security)

Additional finalist
Leo Green (BK Fire Ltd – Training Provider: Skills for Security)

Find out more about some of the finalists, and why they’d encourage others to consider a career in the security and fire systems installation sector, here: Meet the WorldSkills UK and EoT finalists!