Munster takes Ireland challenge

Competition Students impress in Ireland challenge

Munster takes home the top prize in first online student event

Munster Technological University is

this year’s winner of the CIOB Student Challenge Ireland.

The team, which comprised Shane Brown, Stephen Donovan, PJ Duggan, and Conor Evans, supported by their lecturer, Joe Kehoe FCIOB, won the first-ever virtual Student Challenge Ireland, beating teams from six other

Judges at the virtual event inspect the students’ work third-level institutes around the country. Second place was taken by Limerick Institute of Technology and Letterkenny IT came third.

Donovan said: “We all worked well as a team – each bringing their own knowledge and skillset to each task asked of us.”

The task required the teams to consider a project comprising a warehouse and administrative building. They had to produce a report and presentation which looked at the procurement, risks and programme.

Each team had 10 minutes to present their work, followed by five minutes of questions from the judges. The top three teams were then asked identical questions, based on the task itself and also on an industry topic.

The winners were announced by CIOB president Mark Beard, who spoke of young people being the future of the industry.

He talked about the 2030 Vision Project, which he launched, that ensures CIOB “stays at the vanguard of construction in a future that reflects the global needs of the next wave of talent and younger members”.

Sinead Savage, one of the judges, commented: “This was a very different event to previous years and posed new online challenges for everyone involved.”

The event was sponsored by CIF, Ardmac and Mitchell McDermott. ●

Event Virtual Irish roadshow tackles the big issues

Dublin and Belfast get together for week of talks and webinars

Dublin & Belfast hubs ran their first

virtual roadshow recently, with a week-long programme of daily webinars and presentations.

Caroline Gumble, CEO of CIOB, opened the roadshow, while Amy Gough, CIOB director of membership, talked about brand changes.

A roundtable discussion, led by Mark Devenport, former BBCNI political editor, saw trustees Ivan McCarthy and Noel McKee, Belfast Hub chair Roger Gillespie and Dublin Hub chair Derek Cassidy discuss a variety of issues including Brexit, attracting young people to the industry and the resilience of construction.

Other highlights of the week included training talks from Adrian Montague from the CIOB Academy and Barry Neilson, MD of CITB NI.

The roadshow closed with a talk from CIOB president Mark Beard and a networking session where members were randomly matched and had their ‘elevator pitch’ at the ready.

The roadshow was supported by Tughans. ●

CMYA CIOB starts search for rising talent

Deadline for Rising Star Award entries is 18 June

The CIOB has opened applications for a second year for its international CIOB Rising Star Award.

The category is for those who have been in the industry for seven years or less and demonstrated excellence in their work, the industry and among their peers.

The award is presented at the Construction Manager of the Year Awards (CMYA). This year CMYA plans to be back at London’s JW Marriott Grosvenor House Hotel on 29 September to celebrate the finalists and winners.

CIOB chief executive Caroline Gumble said: “It’s so important to recognise new and emerging talent, especially at a time when our industry is facing a skills shortage, and I’m very much looking forward to seeing who makes the shortlist this year.”

This award is free to enter and open to members and non-members. Judges will look for evidence of contribution within the last 12 months, and your employer must nominate you. The closing date is 18 June.

For more information, visit www. cmya.co.uk/rising-star-award.