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Security systems installer

Security system installers and repairers — SOC 2020 5245

Security system installers and repairers fit, maintain and service alarm systems and other electronic security devices which provide access control and monitoring, intruder detection and security lighting.

Also calledAlarm fitterCCTV installerSecurity systems engineerAlarm engineerFire and security engineerAlarm installerand 9 more titles
Typical full-time pay£39,0002025 Provisional
People in the job18,000across the UK
Demand for workersCritical
New adverts a month1,300↑ 6.4%on last year · 152nd of 412

Pay

ONS · ASHE 2025
What full-time security systems installers earn, 2025
£39,000 typical£30,900lowest 20%n/ptop 10%
n/p: top 10% not published by ONS
Show as table
Lowest 10% earn less thanNot published
Lowest 20% earn less than£30,900
25%£32,000
Median£39,000
75%Not published
Top 20% earn more thanNot published
Top 10% earn more thanNot published
Typical pay by regionUK median £39,000
London!£47,300
East of England!£45,700
North West!£41,600
West Midlands!£35,200
South West!£31,700
North EastNot published by ONS–
Yorkshire and The HumberNot published by ONS–
East MidlandsNot published by ONS–
South EastNot published by ONS–
ScotlandNot published by ONS–
WalesNot published by ONS–
!Small sample: treat with caution
Show as table
UK median, £39,000
London£47,300 (small sample)
East of England£45,700 (small sample)
North West£41,600 (small sample)
West Midlands£35,200 (small sample)
South West£31,700 (small sample)
North EastNot published by ONS
Yorkshire and The HumberNot published by ONS
East MidlandsNot published by ONS
South EastNot published by ONS
ScotlandNot published by ONS
WalesNot published by ONS
Typical pay over 3 years
  • 2023 £33,900
  • 2024 £36,200
  • 2025 Provisional£39,000
↑ 15% since 2023Provisional figures are revised when ONS publishes the next year’s survey.

Jobs and demand

ONS · Textkernel adverts · DfE

About 1,300 jobs for security systems installers are advertised each month. The Department for Education rates demand for workers as critical.

New job adverts a month, Jan 2017 to Aug 2026
New advertsMonth not published by ONS (3 in all)
Show as table
Aug 20261,509
Jul 20261,317
Jun 20261,309
May 20261,130
Apr 20261,131
Mar 2026Not published
Feb 20261,244
Jan 20261,544
Dec 2025717
Nov 20251,418
Oct 20251,448
Sept 20251,541
Aug 20251,251
Jul 2025Not published
Jun 2025Not published
May 20251,727
Apr 20251,259
Mar 20251,425
Feb 20251,343
Jan 20251,334
Dec 2024706
Nov 2024998
Oct 20241,127
Sept 20241,232
Aug 20241,189
Jul 20241,280
Jun 20241,129
May 20241,310
Apr 20241,253
Mar 20241,099
Feb 20241,006
Jan 20241,460
Dec 2023946
Nov 20231,158
Oct 20231,079
Sept 2023936
Aug 20231,127
Jul 2023952
Jun 20231,546
May 20231,185
Apr 20231,334
Mar 20231,554
Feb 20231,539
Jan 20231,668
Dec 20221,470
Nov 20221,838
Oct 20221,977
Sept 20221,886
Aug 20221,898
Jul 20221,907
Jun 20221,579
May 20221,772
Apr 20221,527
Mar 20221,714
Feb 20221,499
Jan 20221,718
Dec 20211,437
Nov 20211,513
Oct 20211,657
Sept 20211,369
Aug 20211,502
Jul 20211,867
Jun 20211,682
May 20211,999
Apr 20211,778
Mar 20211,972
Feb 20211,158
Jan 20211,414
Dec 20201,225
Nov 20201,267
Oct 20201,380
Sept 20201,264
Aug 20201,144
Jul 20201,005
Jun 2020864
May 2020726
Apr 20201,064
Mar 20201,833
Feb 20201,578
Jan 20201,716
Dec 20191,292
Nov 20191,641
Oct 20191,574
Sept 20191,554
Aug 20191,641
Jul 20192,075
Jun 20192,030
May 20191,605
Apr 20191,214
Mar 20191,322
Feb 20191,170
Jan 20191,159
Dec 2018820
Nov 20181,115
Oct 2018998
Sept 20181,092
Aug 2018979
Jul 20181,094
Jun 20181,050
May 20181,159
Apr 20181,061
Mar 20181,165
Feb 20181,204
Jan 20181,492
Dec 20171,051
Nov 20171,436
Oct 20171,539
Sept 20171,257
Aug 20171,341
Jul 20171,325
Jun 20171,415
May 20171,378
Apr 20171,271
Mar 20171,435
Feb 20171,181
Jan 20171,535
Is there a shortage of security systems installers?
Critical

The Department for Education rates demand as not high, elevated or critical, using five indicators. This is its 2025 assessment; in 2024 it was elevated.

  • Visas grantedAbove usual
  • Online job advertsWell above usual
  • Wage growthWell above usual
  • Pay against similar jobsUsual
  • Hours workedUsual
Vacancies hard to fill because of skills
51%against 27% for all jobs
Broader groupFigure for electrical and electronic trades, which includes security systems installers. DfE Employer Skills Survey 2024.
Where the most jobs are advertisedadverts a quarter
London877
Manchester140
Birmingham115
Bristol, City of93
Leeds69
Glasgow City63
Reading55
Newcastle upon Tyne48
Nottingham47
Gloucester43
London is published as one area. Averages leave out quarters ONS withheld.
Where security systems installers are most concentratedShare of local job adverts, compared with the UK.

Recruitment from abroad. Fewer than 10 sponsored work visas were granted for this job from July 2025 to June 2026. Home Office

Who does it

ONS · Annual Population Survey · April 2025 to March 2026
Age of security systems installers
n/p
18%!
n/p
26%!
23%!
n/p
!Small sample: treat with cautionn/p: too few in the survey to publish
Show as table
16–24Not published
25–3418% (small sample)
35–44Not published
45–5426% (small sample)
55–6423% (small sample)
65+Not published
Highest qualification
Degree or equivalent!15%
Higher education below degree–
Not published
A levels or equivalent!54%
GCSEs or equivalent!19%
Other qualifications!11%
No qualifications!6.7%
!Small sample: treat with caution
Show as table
Degree or equivalent15% (small sample)
Higher education below degreeNot published
A levels or equivalent54% (small sample)
GCSEs or equivalent19% (small sample)
Other qualifications11% (small sample)
No qualifications6.7% (small sample)

Main employers: security systems service activities (38%), electrical installation (24%).

How to get in

Hold a degree
15%
as their highest qualification
Most common qualification
A levels or equivalent
held by 54%
Apprenticeships
1
from level 3
Apprenticeships take
3 years
typically
T Levels
1
college courses for 16 to 19 year olds

Routes in

You can get into this job through:

College

You could take a college course to learn some of the skills needed to get a trainee position.

Courses include:

  • fire detection and alarm systems
  • electronic fire and security systems
  • electrical and electronic engineering
  • T Level in Building Services Engineering for Construction
Entry requirements

Entry requirements for these courses vary.

  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths for a T Level

Apprenticeship

You could apply to do a Fire Emergency and Security Systems Technician Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship.

You could also do a Smart Home Technician Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship. This apprenticeship teaches you how to install and set up 'smart' security systems in homes.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship

Other ways in

Apply directly

You can apply directly to employers if you've got experience in electrical or electronics work.

Employers may expect you to have GCSEs, or similar qualifications, in English, maths, science and a technical subject.

Other routes

You could study to become a security systems installer with a private training organisation. These can be found online and through the National Security Inspectorate.

What you’ll need

  • have a full driving licence
  • pass security checks

Registration and professional bodies

Career tips

It's important to compare what training courses cover, how they're done and whether they lead to a recognised qualification.

Further information

You can find out more about working in the security industry from the British Security Industry Association.

Routes in are from the National Careers Service job profile for security systems installer. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Apprenticeships

1 for this job
Level 3About 3 years

Fire emergency and security systems technician

Leads to
The Institute of Engineering and Technology
Details on Skills England

© Skills England 2025. This information is licensed under the Open Government Licence https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

Other qualifications

QualificationTypeLevel
Building services engineering for constructionT Level3

The work

ONS · ESCO · O*NET

Typical tasks

  • discusses security needs with clients, responds to call outs and explains operation of equipment
  • carries out on site surveys and determines security needs
  • installs security systems and connects them to control panels, including intruder and fire alarms, surveillance and monitoring equipment and access control systems
  • services existing systems and tests for faults
  • responds to call-outs and repairs faulty or inoperative equipment

Skills

  • adjust engineering designs
  • approve engineering design
  • create technical plans
  • design electrical systems
  • design electronic systems
  • develop electronic test procedures
  • execute feasibility study
  • identify customer's needs
  • manage budgets
  • perform scientific research
  • use technical drawing software
  • write technical reports
  • abide by regulations on banned materials
  • assess financial viability

Knowledge

  • design drawings
  • electrical testing methods
  • electricity
  • electricity principles
  • electronics
  • electronic test procedures
  • engineering principles
  • environmental legislation

Suits people who like

  • Practical, hands-on work
  • Working with ideas and solving problems

Outlook

DfE · Skills Imperative 2035
Broader groupThese projections are for skilled metal, electrical and electronic trades, a group of 23 jobs that includes security systems installers.
Change in jobs, 2020 to 2035↓ 6.5%about 72,000 fewer jobs
Workers needed by 2035338,000including people replacing those who retire or leave

Sources

Pay
ONS, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, 2025 provisional
People in the job, who does it
ONS, Annual Population Survey, April 2025 to March 2026
Job adverts
ONS, online job adverts (Textkernel), to Aug 2026
Demand, skill shortages
Department for Education and Skills England, Occupations in demand and the Employer Skills Survey
Outlook
The Skills Imperative 2035 (2024), NFER/Nuffield/DfE/IER/CE
Routes in
National Careers Service job profiles
Apprenticeships, qualifications
Skills England occupational maps
Skills, interests
ESCO classification of the European Commission; O*NET data, U.S. Department of Labor (CC BY 4.0, modified)
Visas
Home Office, immigration system statistics

Figures as of 10 October 2026.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Occupations in demand and the Employer Skills Survey: Department for Education and Skills England. Immigration system statistics: Home Office. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

© Skills England 2025. This information is licensed under the Open Government Licence https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

Source: The Skills Imperative 2035 (2024), NFER/Nuffield/DfE/IER/CE.

This service uses the ESCO classification of the European Commission.

This service includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. This service has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. CC BY 4.0 licence.

jobfacts is independent. It is not part of, affiliated with or endorsed by the Office for National Statistics, the Department for Education, Skills England, the National Careers Service, the Home Office, the European Commission or the U.S. Department of Labor.