'Outstanding' construction students win global industry prize

Construction graduates are among the most employable of university-leavers – and at LJMU many already have first-class experiences of collaborating with industry and internationally.

A team from the School of Civil Engineering and Built Environment recently collaborated with American students to win first place in the Associated Schools of Construction (ASC) Design Build Competition, in Dallas, Texas.

Having won 2^nd place in a previous round in Prague, the LJMU team was invited by Auburn University in Alabama to co-participate in the Region 5 competition.

Our talented students from architectural technology, construction management, quantity surveying and other courses worked with Auburn to design and pitch a project which showcased creativity, innovation, technical skills and awareness of sustainability.

Aleksandra Staszewska, a final-year architectural technology student, who hopes to be a Chartered Architectural Technician, said: “Competing in Dallas gave us a chance to improve on that second place in Prague. We had just 16 hours to put together the proposal and, I admit, I shed a tear when we heard we got that 1^st place

“I felt proud of myself. It was a wonderful experience and one that allowed me to learn new skills and testing existing ones.”

Joe Pearson, a quantity surveying student, said it was a “great experience and opportunity to work with people in the United States.”

“It was invaluable from both an academic and personal perspective and great for networking. The competition looks great on a CV and has been a common talking point during interviews with employers.”

After graduation, Joe is looking forward to starting to work within the industry and becoming a Chartered Quantity Surveyor with the RICS." 

The ASC is the professional association for the development and advancement of construction education, consisting of more than 150 member universities and colleagues around the globe. Region 5 competitions were organised in collaboration with TEXO Foundation, the largest construction industry trade association in Texas, with more than 300 members who deliver more than $15 billion in construction work annually.

Dr Onur Dursun, from the School, said: “This achievement not only highlights the School of CEBE’s excellence in the field of construction education but also demonstrates our ability to rise to the challenge and deliver exceptional results under pressure.”

Professor Mike Riley, Director of the School of Civil Engineering and Built Environment said: “This is an incredible achievement and the result of the hard work and dedication that the School has put into this project.”

LJMU hosts the 59^th Annual ASC International Conference between 3 - 6 April 2023.