Now in its 24th year, the Young Engineers Awards celebrates the industry’s best young engineering talent, recognising the individuals whose academic and professional achievements set them apart from their peers and identify them as up and coming stars of the engineering profession.

Equally important are the employers and there are also seven companies shortlisted for the Employers’ award which recognises organisations with progressive strategies for recruiting, nurturing and empowering young people.

The programme culminates with the finals event, to be held at the London headquarters of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) on October 10.

This year’s Graduate winner will enjoy a fully paid-for trip to the ASHRAE Winter Meeting in Orlando, Florida. The second and third placed graduates receive £600 and £300 respectively from the Rumford Club. Every other finalist receives £100 from the Manly Charitable Trust.

Finalists for the CIBSE ASHRAE Graduate of the Year award are:

Chloe Coradetti – WSP and University of Manchester

Felix Cox – AECOM and Queen Mary University

Sophie Hanson – Arup and Liverpool University

Ryan Hughes – Andrew Reid & Partners and City of Westminster College

Laura Luckhurst – Cundall and Sheffield University

Thomas Lusty – CPW and Coventry University

Ryan Tough – Desco and University of Northumbria

Joe Wu – RED and London South Bank University

Each will present on the subject: “How can building services professionals find the right balance between the needs of the global environment, occupant health, wellbeing and productivity, and best value?”

“The need to nurture and encourage the emerging generation is an exciting responsibility for our profession,” said chair of judges Tim Dwyer. “Building services engineers are an integral part of efforts to confront the whole social, environmental and economic challenges we all face. It is hugely encouraging to see a record number of entries for this year’s Awards programme, showing an increasing recognition of the prestige and relevance of the Award.”

The finalists of the Employer of the Year Award are:

Small category <50:

FairHeat

Method Consulting LLP

Medium category 51-300:

Elementa Consulting

Troup Bywaters + Anders

TUV SUD Ltd

Large category >300:

AECOM

Atkins

“As an industry we need both to celebrate the value of what we do and to invest in our new talent. Recruiting, developing and supporting the rising stars is essential for our future,” summarised Kevin Mitchell, Chair of the Employer of the Year judging panel.

“This year’s employer entries showed enlightened organisations providing varied career development routes for their graduates and apprentices. We also see more companies focusing on work-life balance for their trainees, more building-services-specific STEM activities and new cross-discipline, cross-company exchange programmes.”

The CIBSE Young Engineers’ Awards event on October 10 is free to attend, but pre-registration is required. Please visit www.cibse.org/yea for further details.