Employees at FairHeat, the CIBSE Employer of the Year 2022
FairHeat has been named CIBSE Employer of the Year 2022 at the Young Engineers Awards, for their outstanding commitment to developing young engineering talent.
FairHeat also won the small company category once again, having taken the title in 2019 and 2021.
CWP were the winners in the medium company category, with AECOM taking the large company title.
Recognition at the early stages of your career can act as a motivator, contributing to a feeling of being valued, inspired, and supported within your field
Aligned to the CIBSE 1-2-5 challenges, employers were asked to demonstrate how they boost their young engineers and place them at the centre of their business, investing in their career progression.
FairHeat demonstrated its commitment to developing young engineering talent and creating opportunities for young people to grow and thrive. One of their core principles is ‘to develop the industry leaders of tomorrow’.
From left: Gareth Jones and Lucy Sherburn of FairHeat with CIBSE President Kevin Mitchell
Of their 37 employees, 70% are either in or have been through their graduate programme in the last five years.
In the past year, 12 of their young engineers reached out to their universities and presented building services as a career. As a result, FairHeat has hired nine new graduates to enrol in the 2022 scheme.
FairHeat has also co-founded Diverse Heat Network, a collection of organisations with a shared ambition to enable change and attract a diverse workforce to the sector. They run a summer internship programme and support secondments across other companies.
Kevin Mitchell with Carl Standley, director at CPW
CWP’s stated: ‘Our drive and passion is to provide opportunity and development for all’. The company encourages all their young engineers to take part in careers fairs at local schools and colleges, offer work experience placements and deliver talks in schools.
They offer internal training, with each trainee being allocated a mentor. Once trainees have completed their HNC they have the option to progress to university, something which is open to all their engineers at any stage of their career.
AECOM’s entry highlighted its culture of training development, which was established to support and boost early career engineers. It offers soft-skills training and aims to turn graduates and apprentices into STEM ambassadors ready to inspire the next generation. They have a Young Engineers Forum, which now has more than 150 members across the UK and Ireland.
From left: Mike Burton and Leon Bateson of Aecom, with Kevin Mitchell
CIBSE President Kevin Mitchell emphasised the difference a supportive employer can make. ‘In my experience, recognition at the early stages of your career can act as a motivator, contributing to a feeling of being valued, inspired, and supported within your field,’ he said. ‘My employer provided me with opportunities, just as our shortlisted employers are making a difference to their graduates and apprentices.’
The awards took place on 11 October at the RIBA, London. They were delivered in partnership with ACV, Ideal Heating, Lochinvar, Swegon, Viega and CIBSE Patrons.
For full details of all the Young Engineers Awards shortlist and winners visit www.cibse.org/yea