Overview

Digital Support and Security is crucial to the economy and day to day functioning of the modern world. This competition focuses on all the essential requirements for a successful career in Digital Support and Security within any industry.

The competition tests your ability to configure IT hardware and software to meet customer requirements. This will involve setting up a client / server network with a domain controller, configuring operating systems, configuring IP addresses on end devices and configuration, maintenance and troubleshooting of ICT networks using predominantly CISCO devices and connecting these devices to a LAN.

Digital Support and Security is a new competition that is a merger of the former IT Support Technician with Network Infrastructure Technician competitions. Please refer to the Digital Support & Security technical handbook to familiarise yourself with the merged content.

The skills you need to demonstrate

  • IT skills

  • Attention to detail

  • Time management

  • Problem solving

  • Interpersonal skills

  • Troubleshooting

  • Flexible

  • Planning and organising

Useful resources

Prepare for competition success

Our library of endorsed local skills competition briefs ‘benchmarking assessments’ helps prepare learners to build technical skills, productivity, and mindset competencies for national competition success, including employability progression pathways.

Paired with the benchmarking tracker, educators can record progress, identifying strengths and target areas for improvement. Together, they offer a reliable, standards-led framework, creating a sustainable model for skills development that supports educators to empower learners to be competition ready.

Access on the Learning Lab

Contact details

tbell@worldskillsuk.org

Entry criteria

  • This is an individual competition.
  • The maximum number of competitors that could progress from the entry stage to the qualifying heats from one (local) organisation is fifteen.
  • Competitors should be working towards or have achieved their Level 3 qualification (including T levels) within the last 12 months.
  • Competitors must be familiar with the core competencies (these can be found in the National Standard of Excellence in the ‘Useful resources’ section) and must not have more than 2 years’ industry experience.
  • Competitors will most likely be studying:
    • Apprenticeship:
      • L3 Digital support technician
      • L3 IT solutions technician
      • L3 information communications technician
      • L4 Network engineer
  • T-Level Digital support and security
  • L3 BTEC Nationals Computing/IT
  • SQA L6/7 Computing
  • What qualifications/level/apprenticeship standards should the competitor be working at:
    • HNC/HND Computer Networking
    • HNC/HND Cyber Security

How it works

Registrations open on Monday 2 March 2026, 9am and will close Friday 27 March 2026, midnight.

Entry Stage will be released between Monday 2 March with a final deadline of Friday 24 April 2026.

National Qualifiers are remote and will take place from Monday 1 June 2026.

To help finalists prepare ahead of the UK Final, we will provide relevant technical training and share mindset development techniques, to support them to remain focused on achieving success.

Prepare students and apprentices by engaging with our benchmarking tools to master their skills and mindset masterclasses to build confidence and resilience on the WorldSkills UK Learning Lab.

The National Finals are scheduled to take place in Wales during the week commencing 16 November 2026.

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