Member Article

Outstanding Young Professional wins leading Civil Engineering award

The Civil Engineering Contractors’ Association North West (CECA North West) announce regional winners at a prestigious award ceremony.

Held at the Midland Hotel in Manchester city centre, the region’s finest civil engineering contractors responsible for infrastructure networks in the transport, energy, water, waste and communications sectors gathered together to celebrate eight outstanding individuals and businesses.

One of CECA NW’s top priorities remains to encourage more young people to become civil engineers, a new generation of workforce is essential in addressing both skills shortages and growing labour rates. According to a recent report by EngineeringUK, 265,000 skilled entrants are required annually to meet demand for engineering enterprises through to 2024.

Increasing the flow of young people from schools and colleges into the industry is imperative and one award winner from the night, Toby Hensman, 19, stands as a role model for all young people in the region, showing just how far a career in civil engineering can go.

After leaving school in Audenshaw, Hensman was originally employed as a Business apprentice with Manchester firm, Chartrange Limited based in Dukinfield. Toby showed interest in wider tasks involving compliance and Health and Safety, something that was neither asked for nor expected in his role.

To date, Toby has excelled and shown commitment to developing his skills further, with the full backing of the Chartrange management team, to benefit both the company and his career path. He looks up to Director, John Kennedy who as Toby describes ‘has allowed me to grow with constant support and genuine commitment to seeing me grow within the business’

Commented Director of CECA NW, Guy Lawson, ‘Many congratulations to Toby, and to Chartrange for investing in his future. This combination of a tenacious and hardworking new recruit, with a company that is supporting the next generation of civil engineers, is a great example of preparing our sector for the future.’

Other winners on the night include ‘Woman in Civil Engineering’ Stephanie Curran of ACS in Stockport as well as lifetime achievement award winner Brian Goodacre of Harry Fairclough Construction Ltd in Warrington.

A Full list of winners from the night

PROJECT UP TO £1 MILLION WINNER: CT CONSTRUCTION

PROJECT BETWEEN £1-5 MILLION WINNER: PP O’CONNOR

PROJECT OVER £5 MILLION WINNER: A E YATES

WOMAN IN CIVIL ENGINEERING WINNER: S CURRAN (ACS)

COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIP WINNER: D MORGAN

SOCIAL VALUE WINNER: ERIC WRIGHT

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT WINNER: BRIAN GOODACRE (HARRY FAIRCLOUGH)

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Jo Leah .