After three successful days at the NEC Birmingham last week, we left The Security Event 2026 with a renewed sense of purpose… and significantly fewer footballs than we arrived with.

This year, inspired by the excitement surrounding the 2026 World Cup, we brought a football-themed experience to our stand. Complete with a penalty shootout game and the chance to win a free football with every goal scored, the stand quickly became a hub of activity throughout the event. The competition drew a steady stream of visitors and sparked particular interest among younger attendees – along with some friendly rivalry between competitors… and even our own staff.

Beyond the games and giveaways, the event provided an invaluable opportunity to speak with both new and existing employers from across the industry. Those conversations reinforced something we continue to champion at Skills for Security: the need to develop the next generation of skilled engineers has never been more important, or more widely supported by some of the sector’s biggest names.

That commitment to future talent was visible across the exhibition floor, particularly over on our WorldSkills UK competition stand at the far end of the hall. There, an impressive group of young competitors took part in the semi-finals ahead of the national finals in Wales this November, showcasing the exceptional talent, technical ability and professionalism emerging across the industry.

Events such as The Security Event are not only an excellent platform for collaboration and industry engagement; they are also a reminder of the constant progress being made across the sector. For us, they reaffirm the importance of continuing to innovate, evolve and invest in training – reinforcing why Skills for Security continues to lead the way in fire and security training across the UK.

You can catch more highlights from The Security Event over on our social media channels: @SkillsforSecurity