The CIWEM Rivers and Coastal Group Early Careers Professional Challenge 2025 is a competition designed for young professionals within their first three years in the water and environment sector, from different stakeholder organisations, to develop teamwork and networking skills whilst working on solutions to a particular issue affecting the sector.
The concept is simple, teams of four to five participants will be selected by the Rivers and Coastal Group panel on a regional basis with the aim to foster collaboration across organisations and geographies to solve a challenge in the water and environment sector. Teams will work, online and/or in-person, on the theme and question over approximately an eight week period and finalizing their presentation to pitch at the ‘Judging Event’. The challenge will be revealed at the Briefing Event.
If you're interested in competing, complete the electronic application form. The deadline for submissions is 17:00 BST on Friday 09 May 2025. Candidates will be selected by the CIWEM Rivers and Coastal Group committee. The organisers’ decision will be final.
The successful applicants will be invited to the Briefing Event, where the challenge will be revealed and they will be put into teams of four to five participants and each team will be assigned a member of the CIWEM Rivers and Coastal Group committee to provide guidance and feedback.
The Briefing Event will take place at 14:00 BST on Monday 19 May 2025 at the WSP Offices, The Mailbox, Wharfside Street, Birmingham, West Midlands B1 1RQ.
The teams will then have eight weeks in which to develop their presentations which they will present at the Judging Event.
The Early Career Professionals Judging Event will take place at 14:00 BST on Tuesday 15 July 2025 at the WSP Offices, The Mailbox, Wharfside Street, Birmingham, West Midlands B1 1RQ. The top three teams will receive awards with the winning team receiving vouchers to attend and the opportunity to present at the Rivers and Coastal Group Technical Conference 2026. Second and third placed teams will receive vouchers to the value of £50 and £30 per person respectively.
In addition, we are offering a number of other exciting prize opportunities for each member of the winning team to participate in, including a spot mentoring session with River and Coastal Group committee members and speaking opportunities at next year’s River and Coastal Group Early Career Professionals Challenge.
For full details about the Challenge and how to take part, please view the guidelines below:
2025
To be announced at the Briefing Event on Monday 19 May 2025.
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