Heathrow Early Careers Innovation Competition is now open for entries!
Heathrow has submitted shovel-ready proposals for a fully privately financed third runway, with the potential for flights to take off within the next decade. With the right government policies in place, the airport is positioning itself to play a central role in supporting the UK’s national mission for economic growth.
To help deliver this expansion and uncover innovative solutions, New Civil Engineer in partnership with Heathrow is excited to launch an early careers competition, to encourage the next generation of engineers, contractors and suppliers to push the boundaries of design and delivery of aviation infrastructure and assets.
This new national initiative aims to shine a spotlight on emerging talent in aviation engineering and construction, inviting early career professionals to submit their ideas that could dramatically improve the delivery of construction and engineering for airports.
Heathrow are looking for innovations from supply chain organisations that improve:
- Project and programme delivery
- Enhanced productivity
- Cost savings
- Sustainability
Successful entrants will be shortlisted and join multidisciplinary teams to work a single idea up into a real-life solution that could be deployed as part of Heathrow’s expansion.
Heathrow Competition
Heathrow are inviting early career professionals currently employed in aviation supply chain firms to submit their ideas to improve the delivery of aviation infrastructure. The solutions can range from new terminal designs that save on material use, through to runway resurfacing with longer life sustainable materials but all submissions should aim to deliver improvements in the following key areas:
Heathrow are looking for improvements in:
- Project and programme delivery
- Enhanced productivity
- Cost savings
- Sustainability
All entries will need to be supported by a senior manager within the entrants organisation.
Successful entrants will be shortlisted and join multidisciplinary teams to work a single idea up into a real-life solution that could be deployed as part of Heathrow’s expansion.
Mentors
Why take part?
Pitch your ideas to industry leading judges and expand your professional network
Learn from sector experts and gain valuable mentorship
Get featured in New Civil Engineer magazine as a shortlisted entrant and winning team
Receive complimentary access to NCE conferences in 2026
Enhance your CV with experience that stands out
Win industry recognition by working alongside a world leading industry client
Who can enter?
Civil engineering apprentices or graduates from supply chain organisations with no more than 5 years of experience in the aviation sector
Who the challenge is available for?
The challenge will only be available for individuals working in the UK from Heathrow’s preferred supply chain and wider engineering and construction firms that work in the aviation sector and not Heathrow employees.
What’s involved?
Applications are for individuals only, to champion an idea you believe will improve the design or construction of aviation infrastructure and be supported by a senior colleague in the industry. Once the applications are reviewed, successful individuals will be shortlisted and allocated to teams to take forward one idea into final stage judging. Each team will work on a different idea and be supported by a mentor from Heathrow to drive the innovation as far as possible while remaining feasible.
Potential challenge applicants will need to be able to attend all aspects of the challenge, including:
- Launch workshop to meet your teams and mentors – 11 March 2026
- Mentor meetings via committee – Teams will be invited to catch up meetings with their mentors during preparation for their final presentations
- NCE Airports final presentation to judges – 19 May 2026
Judges
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|