Why you should get involved in the Young Member Awards

The Young Member Awards are open, and 2012 winner and former Young Member Board (YMB) chair Peter Bonnington, says anyone who is a part of the IMechE should look to get involved.

“I have nominated several of my colleagues over the years, and I would encourage anyone to nominate someone they think is doing a good thing, either in their job professional role or through volunteering for the Institution,” he says. “Recognising that person and nominating them is a great way of supporting them in their career. The process itself is very simple, and just required filling out a form and submitting supporting evidence.

When Peter won his award in 2012, he was surprised to be successful, but also amazed as to how it helped him shape his career.

“I was nominated by one of my senior colleagues, but neither of us were expecting anything to come out of it, and just to be nominated and recognised by a colleague was fantastic.” 

“The award came at a point when I was trying to decide what to do in my immediate career,” he says. “I was three years out of university, and that is quite a formative time, both with respect to what I was doing in my day job and for my voluntary involvement with the Institution and profession in general. 

 “It was an honour and a fantastic surprise to win the award, as well as a wonderful way to be recognised by the Institution.”

While no longer part of the Executive team of the YMB, Bonnington is keen to carry on supporting the fantastic work the board does to support Young Members.

“The Young Members Board represents the largest proportion of the membership of all the Boards,” he says. “And it is really important to recognise the work that the Young Member community does for the IMechE, and how that community really is the future of the profession as a whole.”