Apprentice Installers on 7k Cameras, their Favourite Kit and how Security Installation is Changing

Last year Bradford-based Kings Security secured the gold and bronze positions in the 2014 Engineers of Tomorrow Competition.

Speaking to IFSEC Global two of the prize winners look ahead to this year’s Engineers of Tomorrow competition.

Nathan Lyles and Harrison Cook, who is returning to compete for the second year in a row, also reflect on their changing role and the latest technology coming on to the market.

IFSEC Global: What made you get into the security industry?

Nathan Lyles: I’ve liked it since I was at school. I wanted to be a firefighter or a police officer but coming into it’s not as easy as you’d think to do that.

I’ve always been very hands on. At school I helped out a friend who was an electrician at weekends and evenings. Then I saw cameras and thought “I quite like that” so I got into the security industry and liked it.

I worked for a few security companies before coming to Kings, which was the best outfit I’ve worked for, so I’m not looking to leave any time soon.

I looked online and saw they were looking for a few apprentices. Though I was a bit older and was starting a bit late, I’d already been in the industry for five years, so I knew what I was doing but I just didn’t have that bit of paperwork to back me up.

So Kings fast-tracked me and now they’ve put me through my NVQ 3 as well.

Harrison Cook: I went to sixth form first and was pushing towards uni. I’ve always been better being hands on.

I love to learn but I’d rather learn on the job so I looked around the apprenticeships and knew I wanted to do electrical. Then I saw Kings online and it was the family business part that span me towards it. And I liked the feel of the website.

Someone in HR at Kings said there were opportunities so I applied. It’s the best thing I’ve done to be honest with you. I love the job, enjoy it. You’re always learning.

IG: Not many people can say they enjoy their job…

HC: It’s different every day.

NL: You get to travel around. You’re not just stuck in the same office.

IG: Where do you see yourself in five years?

NL: I’d like to still be at Kings as they’re a good company to work for: very friendly, they look after you. I’d like to move further up the ladder and further my knowledge in different fields.

And touch more on IP security, which  we’re doing a lot of now. Alarm systems are heading that way.

Everyones going into the cloud now, even intruder alarms. I’ve heard Pyronix have got one coming out.

I’d like to stay there and maybe become a senior engineer one day.

HC: I’d like to become fully qualified and finish my apprenticeship as soon as possible. I’d love to still be at Kings. Better my knowledge and get as much training as possible in different systems.

I’m fairly confident with a couple of systems but I want a broader range of knowledge. I love to learn new things. Kings are pretty good for giving training so hopefully I’ll get a lot of opportunities that way.

What’s your favourite piece of kit?

HC: I’m more familiar with the Galaxy systems so I’d say that, because I’m confident with it and I can work on it quicker than other systems. I’ve only just started doing jobs on my own.

NL: Same for me – Galaxy is second nature to us now because we do that many. And because I prefer doing CCTV, Axis cameras, which are phenomenal.

HC: The picture on their 4k cameras is pretty immense.

NL: And Milestone, which does really good software.

IG: Did you notice Avigilon have raised the stakes and released a 7k camera?

NL: But you’ve got to have something to play it on haven’t you?. Avigilon might have a bit of kit that supports it but not every Tom, Dick or Harry would have it.

It’s going to be pricey and people might not want to pay for that when you can get a 720 IP camera which looks just as good, especially on domestics and things like that.

There won’t be many companies I would have thought that would want to spend that much more money just for a few extra pixels.

HC: It’s technology for the sake of it.

NL: No doubt in a few years we’ll all have 7k tellys.

IG: What did it mean to you winning the Engineers of Tomorrow Competition last year?

NL: It means a great deal. It looks good for the company. It puts us in a good position within the company.

It puts us in good stead if anything ever happened and they had to make people redundant.

HC: It meant quite a lot. I was quite a junior engineer at the time – I’d only come into the company 4-5 months before.

So it was a good test and quite a step up, but it gave me a big boost of confidence.

NL: Because of how well we did on the day it looks good on our CV.

IG: Harrison, you’re doing the Engineers of Tomorrow competition again – doing anything preparation-wise this year?

HC: Kings have got me a Texecom Premier Panel to practice on. I have used them a little bit and I’ll be using it a lot more now in the run-up.

And backing up my knowledge on the Dualcoms, because that gets you the most points.

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