The college community wishes the SERC Fire and Security Systems lecturing team good luck in the finals of the AICO Community Awards tomorrow (16 April 2026).
AICO, a Shropshire-based manufacturer of residential fire and carbon monoxide detection products, will present its annual Community Awards in Birmingham, celebrating outstanding achievement, innovation, and dedication demonstrated across the fire and security and social housing sectors.
The SERC team is shortlisted for the College Initiative of the Year, an award that recognises the best and most ground-breaking initiatives among FE and sixth form colleges across the UK.
The fire and security lecturing staff at SERC have shown themselves to be both dynamic and highly responsive to the needs of local and national employers, designing and adapting training programmes to meet demands as they evolve, and to align with new national framework requirements.
The fire and security systems industry encompasses the installation, commissioning, maintenance, and repair of fire alarms, intruder alarms, CCTV, and other electronic systems designed to protect both commercial and residential premises. Following engagement with industry employers in 2016, SERC launched a sustained partnership to develop the sector’s curriculum, to enhance training facilities and capacity, and to create tailored education packages.
The college has supported the establishment of the Northern Ireland Fire & Security Employers Federation (NIFSEF) in 2016 and developed apprenticeship programmes to deliver the next generation of fire and security professionals, alongside a new qualification for experienced personnel. These have seen a corresponding growth in the number of highly skilled lecturers, and the continuing development of training facilities at SERC, most recently the state-of-the-art Security Engineering & Resource Centre Fire & Security Training Facility in Newtownards.
SERC Fire and Security lecturer Robin Hamill comments,
“In introducing and developing apprenticeships and short courses in this growing, dynamic sector, we have worked with employers and equipment manufacturers to ensure that our learning is relevant and properly preparing students for employment and so delivering a pipeline of skilled professionals for the future. We are delighted that our initiative in supporting the industry has been recognised through this shortlist.”
In the picture: SERC Fire and Security Systems apprentice Thomas Burns, from Lisburn (employed by Fire NI) and SERC lecturing staff Matthew Groves and Peter Smylie in the Fire and Security Systems workshop on SERC Lisburn Campus.
