The Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) is encouraging students who have received their exam results this summer to consider a career in building services engineering.
According to the CIBSE/Hays Salary Survey 2013job prospects offered by the sector are increasing, with 57% of companies saying they planned to recruit more staff.

CIBSE says its members are the engineers who design, install, operate, maintain and refurbish the systems installed in buildings and also make a significant contribution to the thermal design of building envelopes.

CIBSE President George Adams said: 'We must recognise our growing cities are the biggest single challenge in addressing the impact in a changing world of social and climate change.'

The Institution says that the breadth of what is on offer through a building services career can be demonstrated by the winners of this year's Ken Dale Travel Bursary. This Bursary offers CIBSE members in the developmental stage of their careers the chance to travel and research areas connected with the applicant's field of work. This year's winners were:

· Katie Wallace, Sainsbury's, to study 'Co2 Heat Reclaim' in Sweden, Norway and Denmark focusing on refrigeration in supermarkets

· Angela Reid, Wallace Whittle, to visit three international sustainable mixed-use developments to help look at reducing energy use

· Kayley Lockhead, NG Bailey, to study renewable technologies in Africa

CIBSE points out that building services engineering offers many opportunities to school leavers and graduates. It recognises young talent in the industry through its Young Engineer Network (YEN) and Awards such as the Young Engineer Awards (YEA), and the Society of Light and Lighting (SLL)'s Young Lighter of the Year Award. CIBSE also embraces employment diversity through its Diversity Panel and has a very active network Women in Building Services Engineering (WiBSE), which aims to support and encourage women joining, working, staying and progressing in the building services industry.

A new work-based route through the Technician Apprenticeship Consortium is now available for 2013/14 to become a qualified technician. For more information contact Sheila@hoileassociates.co.uk

For more information about CIBSE visit www.cibse.org