The Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA North East) is launching a new initiative for the 2026/27 academic year, The Groundworker Olympics, bringing together colleges and industry to celebrate and inspire the next generation of talent.
The competition will showcase the talents of students studying construction skills courses, while highlighting the career opportunities available in groundworks and helping address the growing shortage of skilled workers.
The programme, which launches this month, will see the first event taking place in June 2027 at Seymour Skills Academy and will bring together students from Hartlepool College and Derwentside College to compete in a series of events such as drainage, kerbing and concrete finishing.
Each college will have one winner, who will receive a £500 prize. Students taking part will also have the opportunity to interview with CECA member companies, allowing them to make valuable industry connections and potentially open door to placements, work experience or even apprenticeships.
Participants will receive certificates and trophies they can use to demonstrate their achievements and add to their CVs, providing lasting recognition of the skills they have demonstrated during the event.
CECA North East supports its members on issues including skills, training, health and safety and industry development. It works with contractors, clients, colleges, training providers and other industry partners to support the continued development of the North East’s infrastructure and civil engineering workforce.
The Groundworker Olympics has been developed by CECA North East Foundations Group, its junior board made up of individuals working for member companies across the civil engineering industry. The group is looking to establish the competition as an annual event and expand participation to more colleges and training providers from across the region in future years.
The event is set to welcome younger school pupils following a construction GCSE pathway, giving them the chance to see the competition in action and connect what they are learning in the classroom with the skills used in the industry.
Judges for the competition will be drawn from CECA NE member companies, allowing experienced industry professionals to assess the students’ skills while also engaging directly with the next generation of the workforce.
Stuart Miller, director of CECA North East, said: “Some of the best careers in our industry start with someone being given the opportunity to have a go, discover what they are good at and realise that there is a place for them in civil engineering. That is what we want the Groundworker Olympics to create.
“What makes this initiative particularly exciting is that the idea has come from our Foundations Group. These are people who are already building their own careers in the industry and understand first-hand what it is like to take those first steps. They are helping to create something they would have valued themselves when they were starting out.
“We want students to come away from the event proud of what they have achieved, with a better understanding of where their skills could take them and, importantly, with contacts within the industry. If we can give the next generation a positive experience of civil engineering at an early stage, we have a much better chance of encouraging them to choose it as a career.”
Further details on the competition activities, participating companies and judges will be confirmed as planning progresses.