Engineers Crowned Engineer Of The Year And Young Engineer Of The Year

Sheffield building management solutions company BGES Group is celebrating after two of its staff members were crowned the best engineers in their industry.

Alex Lacey and David Hayden were awarded Young Engineer of the Year and Engineer of the Year respectively at the Building Controls Industry Association (BCIA) awards – the sector’s most prestigious event. It is the first time in the event’s history that both awards have been won by people in the same company.

Supporting local growth

The BCIA awards – held on 5th May in Birmingham - brought together manufacturers, installers and customers in a celebration of excellence in the sector. A key theme of the night was the need to tackle the skills gap in a rapidly changing industry, where there is a shortage of qualified engineers.

Alex and David’s award wins are testament to BGES Group’s commitment to tackling the skills gap head on and nurturing local talent. The company has established a Talent School for staff to ensure continued professional development and is currently supporting nine local apprentices on its industry-leading apprenticeship scheme. BGES Group has links with a local high school, offering student tours of its headquarters and advice on careers in the industry.

Graeme Rees, President of the BCIA said: “In an ever-changing world it’s imperative that we continue to facilitate a steady flow of skilled individuals into the BEMS industry. The nurturing of fresh talent is something we must continue to push, and I would encourage our members to explore the multiple benefits of taking on an apprentice and the training routes possible for those from lateral trades. I congratulate Alex and David on their award wins and am delighted to see BGES Group’s clear commitment to upskilling the next generation of engineers.”

David Hayden (R)

Engineer of the Year

David Hayden joined BGES Group in 2018 as Project Engineer and his outstanding contribution saw him promoted to Technical Project Manager. He was nominated for Engineer of the Year by BGES Group, in recognition of his technical excellence and abilities as an “exceptional, empathetic communicator.”

David is a retrofit specialist and believes that BMS engineers have a moral responsibility to ensure that all the systems they install are commissioned with energy conservation as the primary concern, to reduce the carbon footprint of the building.

He was nominated by Mike Dauris, Director of Projects at BGES Group, who said, “David has brilliant people management skills. He excels at giving clients holistic, ‘whole building systems’ advice that goes beyond his remit. We nominated him for this award because he is truly one of the best in our industry.”

Commenting on his award win, David said: “It’s a career highlight to win BCIA Engineer of the Year; thank you to BGES Group for nominating me. I pride myself on getting under the skin of client challenges and questioning the brief to achieve greater results. I am proud that this award recognises my commitment to delivering the very best outcomes for our clients.”

Alex Lacey

Young Engineer of the Year

Alex Lacey started his career as an apprentice at BGES Group in 2017 and impressed the team from the outset with his intelligence, attitude, and drive. He graduated last year with a very high distinction, one of the highest scores ever recorded by his training provider, JTL.

Mike Dauris said, “Alex’s skills far exceed his years and experience, and we are already giving him responsibility for complex projects, at which he is excelling. Alex is a brilliant communicator and clients have praised him highly. We think he has a very bright future in the industry.”

Commenting on his win, Alex said: “I’m so honoured to win Young Engineer of the Year, it means a lot to be recognised by the industry’s most prestigious awards. I love what I do and BGES Group have been incredibly supportive; from day one of my apprenticeship, I was learning key skills and working with the very best in the industry. Building controls engineering is an excellent career path, with lots of progression. I hope my win can encourage other people considering a career in the sector.”