The highly regarded IFSEC Engineers of Tomorrow competition is back for 2021, and registration is now live for the next generation of security and fire apprentices to showcase their skills at the highly competitive event!
Engineers of Tomorrow – for which SSAIB is a stakeholder – helps to raise the profile of engineering apprenticeships and the opportunities they represent within the sector. Taking place at IFSEC and FIREX International each year, winners of regional heats compete in a live installation challenge at the show.
In addition, the winners of the electronic security competition will proceed to the final of WorldSkills UK LIVE, the nation’s premier skills, apprenticeships and careers event.
Register here for the Electronic Security Engineers of Tomorrow competition
Register here for the Fire Engineers of Tomorrow competition
The competition, which encompasses two separate events – one for electronic security installers, and the other for installers of fire safety devices – 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 unfortunately unable to go ahead, due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, 2019’s competition saw over 100 entrants take part, a number only set to increase as the competition continues to grow.
Dates to keep in mind for 2021 are currently as follows:
• Regional heats for both security and fire will run between February and April 2021
• Winners will then go on to compete at Engineers of Tomorrow, which is set to take place at IFSEC International in London, between 12-14 July
• Preparation boot camp in August 2021 for the security WorldSkills finalists
• WorldSkills UK Live will take place in November 2021
• The winners of the security and fire competitions will be announced at the Security and Fire Excellence Awards, taking place on November 23, 2021
The 2021 event will see a few changes to previous years, not least because of COVID restrictions, however, regional heats will still take place across all four UK nations, and the electronic security competition semi-finals, and fire installation competition finals, are planned to take place at IFSEC in London in July. The finalists for the security event will go to World Skills UK National Finals in Birmingham, due to take place between November 18-20.
This year, the regional heats will take the form of a knowledge-based assessment that will be completed online and invigilated by an employer or tutor. There will be two separate assessment for fire and security, with separate online links. Students who wish to compete in both competitions need to register for both competitions separately.
The heat timings are expected to be:
• Regionals (passives) – 90 minutes
• National Qualifier/Fire Final (EoT at IFSEC) – Six hours
• National Final (WorldSkills) – Two days
You can keep up-to-date with the Engineers of Tomorrow competiion via the EoT twitter account: @EoTIFSEC