Electronic Fire & Security Systems Competition

Overview

The Electronic Fire & Security Competition now merges the previous two independent competitions for Fire Detection & Alarm Systems, and the Electronic Security Systems Competitions into one multi-discipline competition, but still held as an individual event.

This competition challenges competitors to showcase their technical skills and knowledge in designing, installing, commissioning, maintaining, and auditing fire and security systems. This competition reflects the evolving demands of the industry, testing participants across multiple disciplines in intruder alarms, fire detection, video surveillance, access control, and smart security technologies.

The skills you need to demonstrate

Design
Planning
Installation
Take over
Additions
Commissioning
Handover
Maintenance

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

Entry criteria

This is an individual Competition
There are no upper age limits for those wishing to compete in this competition
Competitors must be enrolled on an apprenticeship or / have completed within one year
Competitors must have core competencies found in apprenticeship standard – Health and Safety, level two maths and English.

Qualifications

Fire Emergency & Security Systems Technician level 3 Apprenticeship – England
Electronic Fire and Security Modern Apprenticeship (Level 3) – Scotland
PDA SCQF Level 6 – electronic fire and securitySVQ Level 3 – electronic fire and security
Electronic Fire and Security Modern Apprenticeship (Level 3) – Northern Ireland and Wales
Diploma Level 3 – electronic fire and security
NVQ Level 3 – electronic fire and security

How it works

1. Register

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

2. Entry stage

Entry Stage will be released between Monday 3 March and Friday 28 March with a final deadline of 23:59 of 28 March.

3. National Qualifiers

Qualifiers will take place between 8 – 10 April 2025 at The Security Event, NEC, Birmingham.

4. Training and Development

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 resources to master their skills and mindset masterclasses to build confidence and resilience on the WorldSkills UK Learning Lab.

5. National Finals

Competitors who are age eligible and have achieved the benchmark score will be invited to opt into Squad UK for the WorldSkills 2028 cycle, subject to the skill progressing to the international competition cycle.

6. Squad UK

Competitors who are age eligible and have achieved the benchmark score will be invited to opt into Squad UK for the WorldSkills 2028 cycle, subject to the skill progressing to the international competition cycle.