The Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) has unveiled its shortlist for the 2015 Young Engineers Awards.

Ten graduates and six employers will compete for the top honours.

With a trip to the ASHRAE Winter Conference in Orlando, Florida, at stake for the winner of the Graduate of the Year Award, the 2015 competition has attracted a record number of entries in its 20th year. Two runners-up will also receive cash bursaries from the Rumford Club, a membership group formed to discuss technical issues in building services.

Also facing tough competition from a record number of entries are the companies up for the Employer of the Year Award, which recognises achievement in the recruiting and training of young engineers. Six companies made the shortlist, decided by a judging panel of industry leaders, practitioners and young engineers.

This year’s finalists in the Graduate of the Year Award are: Demetrios Constantinou, Foster and Partners/National Technical University of Athens; Ruth Howlett, AECOM/University of Nottingham; Andrew James, Buro Happold/California State University; Peng Jiang, Skelly & Couch/University College London; Alexandra Lindesay-Bethune, Arup/Edinburgh University; Jorge Abarca Montero, Cundall/Sheffield Hallam; Abdul Wahab Malik – Meinhardt Pakistan/ NED University, Karachi; Charity Nicholls, Atkins/Heriot Watt University; Ryan Rodrigues, HurleyPalmerFlatt/London South Bank University; William Webb, Buro Happold/University of the West of England.

In the Employer of the Year Award, the finalists are: Large employers – Hoare Lea, AECOM; Medium emplyers– Ethos Engineering, Troupe Bywaters + Anders; Small employers– Service Design Solutions, JDP.

Tim Dwyer, chairman of the CIBSE ASHRAE Group and the Graduate Award judging panel, said: “The quality and volume of entries never ceases to amaze and was particularly high in this landmark year. We are acutely aware that the industry is suffering from a skills shortage, but the calibre of the graduates competing for this high profile accolade gives us all great hope for the future.”

In a final bid to win the competition, the Graduate award finalists will each give a short presentation to the judging panel and live audience at the Young Engineers Awards ceremony, taking place at IMechE’s headquarters in London on 8 October.

The occasion will also see the presentation of the IMechE Construction and Building Services Division annual award and will be followed by the annual ASHRAE Presidential Lecture given by the Society’s president David Underwood visiting from the USA.

The award is supported by three leading international engineering institutions – CIBSE, ASHRAE and the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) and is sponsored by Andrews Water Heaters, Ruskin Air Management and Schneider Electric. It is also backed by the CIBSE Patrons, a group of businesses who collaborate to give financial and technical backing to CIBSE.

To book a free place at the awards visit www.cibse.org/training-events/october-2015/young-engineers-awards-2015