TOP YOUNG PROFESSIONALS REACH POWER PLAYERS FINAL

Independent judges select four finalists to face public vote

Four leading young professionals from across the engineering and electrotechnical industry have reached the final of Power Players – and now face an online public vote.

Head judge and ECA Head of Technical Steve Martin commented:

“Many congratulations to the four remaining contenders, who have deservedly been shortlisted for the final by the Power Players judges.

“I urge the entire industry to vote for their preferred entry, by visiting the Power Players website to watch the four videos and make your selection.”

An independent judging panel lead by the ECA’s Steve Martin determined the shortlisted entries.

The three other Power Players judges were:

• Tessa Ogle (CEO, Electrical Industries Charity)
• Russell Beattie (Chief Executive, FETA)
• Margaret Fitzsimons (Managing Director, EDA)

The shortlisted entrants to Power Players are as follows:

• George Antino – T Clarke
• Harry Bartle – Chris Bowker Ltd.
• Charlie Harwood – City Electrical Factors (CEF)
• Joseph Wu – T Clarke

The two winners will be announced on Wednesday 6 September during the Electrical Design & Install (ED&I) Expo. There are a range of top-quality prizes and recognition on offer, including a business and networking trip to the USA, lunch with incoming chair of construction firm Laing O’Rourke Sir John Parker, and an opportunity to take part in an Electrical Industries Charity initiative.

Power Players was run by the ECA between April and July this year, in collaboration with a range of industry partners and supporters. The initiative aims to identify some of the leading young people across the engineering and electrotechnical industry.

About Power Players: Power Players is a new industry-wide initiative from the ECA, alongside partners All Things Media and the Electrical Industries Charity. It is also supported by a broad range of industry bodies and organisations. For a full list of stakeholders, please visit .

The initiative aims to identify some of the leading figures from the younger generation, who have undertaken innovative or impactful work in their careers so far. Power Players was open to entries until Friday 7 July.

Power Players is aimed at the younger generation, and was open to entrants from across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, who are aged 39 or below (as of 31 December 2016) and worked for any of the following types of organisation:

• Clients and specifiers (e.g. facilities managers, local authorities, housing associations, property developers etc.)
• Consultants and designers
• Engineering firms
• Installers and contractors
• Manufacturers and distributors
• Training providers, educators and colleges.

Following an independent judging process, held on 20 July, four entries were shortlisted for the final. The shortlisted entries now go for a public vote, with the winner announced on 6 September during the ED&I Expo at the NEC in September this year.

The two winners of Power Players will be flown over to Philadelphia, where the US National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) is holding their annual conference in 2018. NECA has kindly agreed to host the two winners during the three-day event. The winners will also receive a number of other prizes, including an iPad and lunch with business guru Sir John Parker.

About the ED&I Expo: The ED&I Expo, which is headline sponsored by the ECA, is the electrotechnical industry’s only national show. The event is running from 6-7 September at the NEC in Birmingham.

About the ECA and its members: The ECA is the UK’s largest trade association representing electrical, electrotechnical and other engineering contractors, at regional, national and European level. ECA member-companies are rigorously assessed before membership is approved.

Member firms have a combined turnover in excess of £6 billion annually. Member firms carry out design, installation, inspection, testing, maintenance and monitoring activity across domestic and commercial sectors. This ranges from power and lighting to data communications, to energy efficiency and renewables, as well as the design and installation of cutting-edge building control technologies.

The ECA’s near 3,000 members range from SME electrical firms to nationwide engineering contractors and building services firms that employ thousands of professionals on major UK projects.

To visit the ECA website, please click here.