CIHT's Apprentice and Young Professional (YP) of the Year Awards celebrate the achievements of apprentices and emerging professionals who work in the highways,  transportation and infrastructure sector, and the organisations that put them at the heart of their business. 

Alisa Ahmad, Civil Engineering Site Management Apprentice at BAM Nuttall and studying at Leeds College of Building was awarded the Apprentice of the Year Award. Alisa impressed the judges with her desire to encourage people into the sector, her enthusiasm and approach to civil engineering and in particular the passion shown for one of our core themes of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. 

Alisa said “I am honoured to receive the Apprentice of the year award. It is great to be appreciated as an apprentice; a career route which doesn't get enough recognition.  I hope as an apprentice, a person of colour and a woman that I have inspired others. This award has already boosted my confidence as an engineer and I know it will be something I can take use in any workplace to showcase my skills.” 

Next, Molly Hoggard was awarded the Young Professional of the Year Award. Molly is a Transport Planner at Mott MacDonald and impressed the judges with the global reach of her ‘Get It’ project. She showed how she has been a strong role model in the industry with real passion to engage in STEM activities while actively encouraging people into the sector. 

Molly said “I’m delighted to be announced as the CIHT Young Professional of the Year 2022! I look forward to using the platform to learn from other professionals in the industry, particularly those outside of transport planning, and to use the platform to continue to shout about creating inclusive transport systems as well as the Gender Equality Toolkit in Transport.” 

After a day of networking, plenary sessions and workshops CIHT’s president Neil Johnstone commented “today really has highlighted the importance of engaging with professionals at all stages of their career. We hope this is the catalyst for our future leaders to help develop the solutions to the challenges we face in sector and across society as a whole.” 

He went onto say “CIHT is fully invested in our future professionals and I am looking forward to working with our young professional network as it helps to develop our fuller Future Professionals Conference in April next year. We had a great selection of people put forward for this award and I know our judging panel had a very tough task in coming to a decision. I would like to thank all of those who entered, their supporters.” 

CIHT received dozens of applications for the 2022 awards, which came from some of the best and brightest within the sector. It was challenging to shortlist only ten finalists from the outstanding applications and CIHT would like to thank all those who made applications and those who contributed to their development. 

The headline CIHT Young Professionals Conference will take place in early 2023. More details will be revealed shortly. Register your interest here.  

Molly Hoggard Young Professional of the Year winner 2022

Alisa Ahmad Apprentice of the Year Award winner 2022