Join the elite by entering NCE's Graduate Awards - now!

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NCE's annual Graduate Awards are launched this week. These prestigious awards are the industry's top accolade recognising young civil engineers destined to be our profession's future leaders. Just look at the quality of our company sponsors. David Hayward explains how you could win cash and kudos.

Industry wide praise, lunch with the chairman, £1000 richer, company superstar, addressing the board of directors, meeting with the construction minister and a serious step up the career ladder. All this could be yours before the end of the year by filling in a simple entry form.

The only criteria is that you must have gained a civil engineering  - or similar - degree sometime last year. And you must ooze so much enthusiasm, potential engineering ability and pride at becoming a civil engineer that the judges of  NCE's Graduate Awards just have to offer you the top prize.

Launched this week, these annual awards are now the unrivalled accolade for ambitious young engineers. Just being one of our six finalists offers you the kudos and publicity to get you noticed by the bosses of companies that - like you - are going places.

Look at our list of top company sponsors. Each one puts forward a senior director to judge the entries and interview the six finalists. 

"Our industry regards these prestigious awards as genuine recognition of academic ability and potential engineering skill" says the chief executive of one of these major construction companies. "We see this competition as today's leaders recognising and rewarding our profession's future ambassadors; young graduates who will ensure civil engineers remain respected key custodians of our 21st Century infrastructure."

A roll call of just the last few winners confirms the reason for his company's continued support for the awards.  Four young civil engineers - two men and two women - epitomise the type of infectious enthusiasm and sheer enjoyment gained through their chosen careers that we seek to reward and encourage. The more they were willing to commit to their jobs the more their employers offered them (see winners gallery).

Read the small print to confirm if you have an appropriate first or postgraduate degree. Answering a few questions about your university highlights, and your achievements during your first post graduate job, will do the rest.

We even let you loose - briefly- with your ideas for government's planned controversial ecotowns; an opportunity perhaps to impress the judges by thinking outside the box.

Remember we are looking for all round engineering ability - not necessarily academic whizkids. Enthusiasm and pride at being a civil engineer are equally important passports to the shortlist.

The half dozen finalists will be invited to further impress the judges during a 'chat' at the Institution of Civil Engineers in November. A month later the six will return to a posh lunch at the ICE . 

And, in a Great Hall full of industry bosses, all six will be recognised as winners receiving cash prizes and lots of praise. Our graduate superstar will be presented with £1000, a specially crafted trophy, an invitation to meet the construction minister and, doubtless, a fair bit more from his employer.

So if Monday mornings really do excite you, and making important value engineering decisions standing in a cold wet site get the adrenalin flowing, you could just be that young superstar we are looking for. 

There's only one way to find out. Enter now! Closing date is 19 September 2008