CECA Scotland Awards

Celebrating the most promising new talent in civil engineering

CECA Scotland “Most Promising” Awards are Now Open for Nominations

The CECA Scotland Annual Dinner and Awards Ceremony will take place on Thursday 28th March 2024 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Glasgow Central Hotel, Cambridge Street, Glasgow.

The deadline for entries is 5pm Monday 4th December 2023. Nominations are only permitted for those directly employed by CECA Scotland member companies.

There is no fee to enter and there is no limit to the number of entries that can be submitted by any CECA member company.

QTS are, once again, the principal sponsor of the 2024 CECA “Most Promising” Awards.

The winner of each award category will receive a £500 cash prize that will be presented at the CECA Scotland Annual Dinner on 28th March 2024.

The four categories and entry forms are:

Most-Promising-Civil-Engineer-Nomination-Form

Most-Promising-Graduate-Apprentice-Nomination-Form

Most-Promising-Modern-Apprentice-Nomination-Form

Most-Promising-Quantity-Surveyor-Nomination-Form

Civil Engineer and Quantity Surveyor nominations (irrespective of route to qualification) have their own award categories.

All other occupations are captured in the Modern Apprentice or Graduate Apprenticeship category.

Graduate Apprenticeship nominations are where an Honours Degree or Masters is achieved, for example BA (Hons) Project Management or Accountancy.

Modern Apprenticeship nominations capture all technical, operational, practical Apprenticeships, for example Plant Mechanics or Procurement Administrators.

Nominees will be undertaking their qualification or will have completed their qualification in 2022 or 2023.

“Most Promising” might include those that have made the most advancement in their learning, skills, or role; demonstrated the most commitment or resilience; have made a significant contribution and/or impact in their short time since joining the industry (within 5 years).

Most Promising Award Winners 2023

The CECA Scotland Most Promising Awards ceremony was held on Thursday 30th March 2023 at the Doubletree by Hilton, Glasgow.

The judging panel received a record number of entries this year and took the decision to make two awards in the ‘New Entrant Quantity Surveyor’ category in recognition of the exceptional quality of nominations.

Congratulations to our 2023 winners who picked up their awards at our Annual Dinner and Awards, attended by nearly 600 industry guests representing all sections of the civil engineering community in Scotland.  Photos from the evening can be viewed on our Flickr Account

A short video clip of each winner can be viewed below:

Graham Lynch (BEAR Scotland)
Most Promising Technician

Christy Dickson (McLaughlin & Harvey Construction Ltd)
Most Promising Apprentice

Emma Crowe (BAM Nuttall Ltd)
Most Promising Quantity Surveyor

Christopher Wood (Luddon Construction Ltd)
Most Promising Quantity Surveyor

Daniel MacConnell (Robertson Civil Engineering)
Most Promising Civil Engineer

The CECA Scotland annual dinner is one of our industry’s biggest events of of the year when civil engineering contractors join together with local and national decision-makers as well as senior figures from public sector infrastructure clients. We are proud to use this significant platform to promote the next generation and showcase the most promising young people who have chosen to pursue a career in our industry.

There are four different categories and the winners each received a certificate and a £500 prize presented by comedian and writer Hal Cruttenden. The judges were so impressed with the quality of entries this year that they decided to offer two prizes in the Most Promising Quantity Surveyor category. The nominations for next year’s Most Promising awards will open in November 2023..

Most Promising Apprentice

Most Promising Apprentice

Any apprentice, who is currently undertaking, or has completed during the last 18 months, a Construction Apprenticeship programme and is employed by a member of CECA Scotland in the civil engineering contracting industry. There is no age limit. This award focuses on candidates undertaking apprenticeships in general construction operations, highways maintenance, road building, plant operations and plant maintenance.

Most Promising Technician

Most Promising Technician

Any Technician, who is currently undertaking (or has completed during the last 24 months) a foundation, modern or graduate level apprenticeship programme and is employed by a member of CECA Scotland in the civil engineering contracting industry. The Technician must be working within the sector but the apprenticeship need not necessarily be construction related.  There is no age limit.

Most Promising Trainee Quantity Surveyor

Most Promising Trainee Quantity Surveyor

Any Trainee Quantity Surveyor, excluding Technicians, who is being supported by their employer while working towards a recognised quantity surveying qualification (or who has completed such a qualification during the last 24 months). The Trainee must have joined the industry within the last four years, be employed by a member of CECA Scotland in the civil engineering contracting industry, but can be either site or office based.

Most Promising New Entrant Civil Engineer

Most Promising New Entrant Civil Engineer

Any Engineer, excluding Technicians, who is being supported by their employer while working towards a recognised civil engineering qualification.  This is not restricted to those who are on an ICE company training scheme or similar. The Trainee must have joined the industry within the last four years, be employed by a member of CECA Scotland in the Civil Engineering Contracting industry but can be either site or office based.

Most Promising 2023

Meet our Award Winners

Graham Lynch

Most Promising Technician

Graham began his journey on the Trunk Road maintenance contracts team when he joined as a Graduate Apprentice for BEAR Scotland in 2018. Currently employed as an Assistant Engineer, Graham is responsible for each of his projects throughout its lifecycle from inception through to construction.

Christy Dickson

Most Promising Apprentice

Christy joined McLaughlin & Harvey in September 2019 as a Trainee Engineer and since September 2020, Christie has been working on the Hawick Flood Protection Scheme. Described as having a ‘can do’ attitude, Christy is very polite, helpful and his work ethic is second to none. Every time Christy is off site, the entire site knows he is not present, which is clear testimony of how good this young man really is.

Emma Crowe

Most Promising Trainee Quantity Surveyor

Emma is a project based Quantity Surveyor but has demonstrated an interest in all aspects of operations. Actively involved in numerous other groups within the BAM organisation, Emma is the youngest member of the BAM Scotland Network (A women specific group).

Christopher Wood

Most Promising Quantity Surveyor

Christopher is working as a full-time Graduate Quantity Surveyor. He also personally mentors' younger apprentices within the company, helping them to understand what they can expect in the early years of their careers.

Daniel MacConnell

Most Promising New Entrant Civil Engineer

Daniel joined Robertson Civil Engineering as an Intern Engineering and has now progressed to Site Engineer. He is currently working towards becoming a fully Chartered Civil Engineer and uses his early finish on a Friday to update his CPD records and write quarterly reports. Daniel is predicted to become fully Chartered in 2026.

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