Graduate surveyor scoops pipeline prize

BSc (Hons) Rural Enterprise and Land Management (REALM) graduate Lucy Whitaker’s career is off to a flying start after success in a pipeline industry competition.

Lucy, 22, won the Sir John Parker Competition, which judges presentations on themes relating to the pipeline industry.

After reaching the Midlands final, alongside competitors from Cadent Gas and Wessex Water, her presentation ‘Pipeline Encroachment: Prevention is Better than Cure’ impressed the panel from the Young Professionals of the Pipeline Industries Guild (PIG). Lucy and her presentation now go on to compete for the national-level prize.

The accolade follows being offered her job as a graduate surveyor at Fisher German on the back of a successful third-year placement with the company.

“Participating in the competition was really useful for my line of work, and it is great to meet lots of other people in the pipeline industry while I was there,” Lucy told World Pipelines. “I’m now getting ready to present at the national final. I’m going to be up against some tough competition but I’m hopeful I’ll be successful.”

Lucy is looking to take her APC exam to become a chartered surveyor later this year, and aside from this accolade, she certainly seems to have made an impression on her colleagues; in fact, it was them who encouraged her to enter the competition.

Clare Phillipson, Fisher German’s Regional Managing Partner for National Utilities and Infrastructure said: “We’re delighted her presentation was chosen as the best on the night by the judges. It’s testament to the hard work she’s been putting in during her time here. We wish her all the best in the national final.”