The growing importance of young engineers and their role in helping the UK emerge from economic recession is to be reflected in a new awards scheme developed by the Chartered Institution of Building Service Engineers (CIBSE).

The CIBSE Young Engineers Awards 2012 brings together, for the first time, the CIBSE ASHRAE Graduate of the Year Award, now in its 17th year, and the Employer of the Year Award in an event to be held at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) in London.

The CIBSE Young Engineers Awards will take place on 11 October 2012, immediately after Building Services - the CIBSE Conference and Exhibition (www.buildingservicesevent.com) in London.

By combining the two awards, the Institution is seeking to highlight the talent available to engineering employers while demonstrating the importance of providing young engineers with opportunities to advance their careers.

As well as rewarding and showcasing the innovative thinking, hard work and skills of graduate engineers, the awards scheme also picks out the employers which are doing the most to develop and encourage young talent.

The event will also feature a debate between members of the CIBSE Young Engineers Network (YEN) and the Presidents of the Institution; its US counterpart ASHRAE; and the IMechE. Chaired by current CIBSE ASHRAE Graduate of the Year, Angela Malynn, who is also a member of the judging panel for this year's Awards, alongside the Institutions' Presidents, the debate will focus on improving the role of young engineers across the industry.

The graduate finalists will then give presentations to the audience at the IMechE before the judging panel decides who should receive the first prize of a trip as a VIP delegate and ambassador to next year's ASHRAE Winter Conference in Dallas, Texas. Cash bursaries will also be presented by the Rumford Club to two runners up.

As well as the Employer of the Year Award and theCIBSE ASHRAE Graduate of the Year Award, the IMechE Construction and Building Services Division Lifetime Achievement Award will also be presented.

Engineers who have graduated in a building services related discipline within the past two years are eligible to enter the CIBSE ASHRAE Graduate of the Year Award; and all firms with clear career progression paths for young engineers are encouraged to enter the Employer of the Year Award.

For more information, or to nominate, visit www.cibse.org/youngengineersawards