Early Careers Essay Competition winners announced!
The two winners of this year’s ITS UK’s Early Careers Essay Competition have been announced, with Will Dismorr of 4WayConsulting winning the Best Early Careers Professional Essay and Esther Fobi, a Civil Engineering Student from Swansea University winning the Best Student/Apprentice Essay.
The Early Careers Essay Competition is ITS UK’s annual celebration of those starting out in the sector. Each year, early career professionals, students and apprentices are invited to submit a 1,500 word essay on a subject related to transport technology and intelligent mobility. This year, more than 15 essays were received, focusing on one of three topics around accessibility, freight and sustainability.
The two winning essays, by Esther and Will, covered the respective topics of “A Transport Network for All: Bridging Medical Data and Engineering to Create Truly Inclusive Mobility Solutions” and “How do we ensure our transport network is ready for Net Zero”.
Both essays will be shared across the industry by supporting organisation, the Institute for Highway Engineers, and ITS UK. Esther and Will will also receive a £500 cash prize, provided by the IHE, and will have the opportunity for a one-to-one mentoring session with either Paul Campion, Chief Executive Officer at TRL, or Jo White, Roads Development Director at National Highways.
Congratulations too, to the two highly commended entries from Corli Davison and Charlotte Fodor, both of Yunex Traffic.
The Winners
Will Dismorr, Early Careers Professional Winner
About Will: Will is a graduate consultant currently working with 4Way Consulting. Most of his day to day work involves data crunching, report writing, slide creating, and learning from those around him. He enjoys working with likeminded and hardworking people, and believes that people do their best when they are feeling their best, whether that be through the interesting work they are involved in, or the people they are around.
What the judges said about his essay: “Will’s essay is excellent – clearly structured, it recognises that there are key decisions we can make about the future of transport, and offers a call to address these challenges. Will presents realistic interventions, but highlights how they are determined by political choices. He should also be commended for the wider technical understanding of transport, showing how it’s not just roads and cars, but a whole interconnected system”.
On winning the award, Will said: “I’m delighted and deeply thankful to have won the ITS UK Early Careers Essay Competition. I’m grateful not only for the opportunity to share my ideas, but also for the mentors, colleagues, and peers who continue to inspire me.”
Esther Fobi, Student/Apprentice Winner
About Esther: As a civil engineering student, Esther combines technical expertise with strong interpersonal skills. Her experience spans design, construction and project management, alongside leadership roles that enable her to effectively support and organise communities. Through public speaking engagements, she has shared valuable insights on careers and academia, consistently seeking opportunities to empower others.
What the judges said about her essay: “Esther’s essay has a well-considered vision involving the utilisation of anonymised medical data. Well researched, detailed and original, she acknowledges the diverse range of disabilities and the potential for conflicts between them. She demonstrates good awareness of knowledge gaps and ITS potential backed up by useful examples including from overseas.”
On winning the award, Esther said: “I’m really grateful to have my work recognised. This piece gave me the chance to reflect on how engineering can be more inclusive — using insights from health data to help shape transport systems that better serve diverse needs, not just the majority. It’s encouraging to see these conversations gaining momentum and a reminder that we can design systems that work better for everyone.”
Congratulations to both
Congratulating both on their achievement, Max Sugarman, Chief Executive of ITS UK, said: “The future of the sector will depend on the strength of its young professionals, students and apprentices – and from the calibre of the entries we received for his year’s Essay Competition – it’s clear we have a huge amount of talent and expertise coming through in the next generation.
“Both Esther and Will’s essays were insightful, well-argued, evidenced and creative, showing a real ability to tackle complex issues and bring new ideas to the table. A huge congratulations to both!”
Lyle Andrew of the Institute of Highway Engineers (IHE), added: “IHE is delighted to sponsor the ITS UK Early Career Essay awards. ITS has become an integral and important part of our transport network and increasingly, in the work of our members within the Institute. The continued growth within this sector demonstrates that there are more opportunities for new entrants into the wider Highways and transportation industry. We encourage the next generation of Engineers to develop and showcase their skills, allowing us to celebrate their success and promote the sector.”
With thanks to supporters
