Northern Ireland was particularly well represented, with Belfast based apprentice engineer Jack Smith of Arup being named Apprentice of the Year while Kris Campbell of the Department for Infrastructure received the Young Professional of the Year award.

Jack Smith – who started his apprenticeship last September – was presented with his trophy by CIHT President Martin Tugwell at the opening of the conference (pictured). He has already contributed to a number of projects including local road and railway schemes and the Belfast Transport Hub with a particular focus on promoting sustainable transport.

“It’s unbelievable to be named Apprentice of the Year,” he told TP Weekly News. “I think the amount I have done in a short time has worked in my favour. I always strive to be the best I can be and my ambition at the moment is to stay with Arup, move up the ranks and get to senior engineer, get chartered and eventually be a director.”

He added: “This award is extremely well respected. It shows my hard work and desire and I think it will help me in continuing my career development.”

Martin Tugwell congratulated Jack and said: “Jack stood out as an outstanding recipient due to his work promoting sustainability and better environmental practices within Arup in Belfast.

“His ability to proactively reduce the carbon footprint of his company while championing a healthy and active lifestyle for all colleagues demonstrates his outstanding leadership skills.”

The importance of thinking differently about approaches to transport problems was emphasised by Young Professional of the Year Kris Campbell, who addressed the conference in the afternoon. He discussed projects he has been involved in including developing options for the Lagan pedestrian and cycle bridge in Belfast and a flood alleviation scheme on the dual carriageway A1 to the south of the capital.

The latter saw him come up with an alternative solution to a pumping station he was originally tasked with designing, in the form of a gravity fed open ditch connected to a nearby river.

“I was a graduate trainee at the time and had to convince the client and my line managers that the option they wanted to go with wasn’t the option that I thought was right to do,” he said. Kris’s idea proved successful. “Taking a step back and treating the cause rather than the symptoms led to a much more sustainable and cost effective solution.”

Kris has also been involved in creating a new apprenticeship scheme for the Department and he takes an active role in supporting colleagues to progress in their careers and professional development, as well as attending events to promote the profession to the next generation.

Also speaking at the conference were the two winners of CIHT’s Young Professionals Challenge on creating sustainable futures; City Science transport modelling consultant Chloe Bates and Devon County Council transport planning officer Alex Thomas.

Chloe emphasised that she does not see electric vehicles as the only solution to decarbonising transport and instead called for efforts to reduce the need for cars. Autonomous bus rapid transit services alongside efforts to improve existing bus services could help with this aim, she said, encouraging widespread implementation and the creation of a stigma against private car usage.

Alex agreed that efforts should not be concentrated on a “pro car” policy of replacing the existing fleet with electric vehicles on a one for one basis. He highlighted the potential benefits of a Mobility as a Service approach to better integrate the transport system but said “we are still a way off seamless mobility” and emphasised that a lack of collaboration presents a major barrier.

CIHT’s Young Professionals Conference on Thursday was attended by over 240 people at Manchester’s Science & Industry Museum.