Nearly 150 mentees and mentors from across Waldeck and Morson Projects gathered for a day of celebration, connection, and professional growth.

This year also marked the debut of the Early Careers Development Programme Awards, a new initiative recognising individuals who embody and demonstrate our company’s core values of Care, Collaboration, Courage, and Curiosity.

One of the event’s highlights was the announcement of the Mentor of the Year winner:

Recognising our incredible Mentors

In the Mentor of the Year shortlisting, the judges were looking for someone who actively invests time in guiding early careers professionals and demonstrates exceptional communication skills, encouraging an open dialogue within their mentor-mentee relationship.

They were seeking a Mentor who exhibited a genuine commitment to the success of their mentees and inspired curiosity, resilience and confidence in others through their mentorship approach.

2024 Mentor of the Year Winner: David Foster

A huge congratulations to our 2024 Mentor of the Year winner, David Foster, who is an Associate Architect within Waldeck’s Architecture & Digital Team.

Image: David Foster collecting his award from Gareth Beck, Morson Projects’ Operations Director and Adrian Adair, Morson Group COO.

What the judges had to say about David

“David’s dedication as a mentor goes well beyond the typical responsibilities; he invests his own time to provide in-depth guidance that enriches both the academic and practical experience of his mentees.

“Patient and thorough, David ensures his mentees fully understand complex concepts before encouraging them to take the reins independently. His proactive advocacy for continuous professional development empowers his team to stay up-to-date with industry advancements, reinforcing the importance of lifelong learning. By helping his mentees set clear goals and pursue professional memberships, David not only sharpens their skills but also instills confidence in their capabilities.”

Due to such close scoring against the judging criteria, this category also celebrated three Highly Commended recipients:

  • Peyman Band, Associate Structural Engineer – Civil & Structural Team (Waldeck)
  • Jon Callahan, Head of Engineering Delivery – Marine & Aerospace Team (Morson Projects)
  • Nic Hunt, Office Administrator – Marine & Aerospace Team (Morson Projects)

Congratulations and thank you to Jon, Nicola and Peyman for their continued dedication and commitment to their mentee’s career development.

Image: Nicola and Peyman collecting their certificates from Gareth Beck, Morson Projects’ Operations Director and Adrian Adair, Morson Group COO.

This year’s nominees represented a wide cross-section of our business, each showcasing commitment to the development of their mentees in inspiring ways. Nominated by their mentees, a huge thank you to all of this year’s nominees for their hard work and commitment:

  • Andy Hartley, Head of Delivery – Risley, Urenco & Big Science – Asset Care Team
  • Benjamin Cockayne, Engineering Programme Manager – Marine & Aerospace Team
  • Christopher Summers, Head of Engineering Delivery – Marine & Aerospace Team
  • Conrad Smith, Senior Control Systems Engineer – Power Team
  • David Foster, Associate Architect – Architecture & Digital Team
  • Fran Enefer-Davies, Technical Co-Ordinator – Marine & Aerospace Team
  • Jake Pike, Senior Controls Systems Engineer – Power Team
  • James Chew, Design Engineer – Power Team
  • Jon Callahan, Head of Engineering Delivery – Marine & Aerospace Team
  • Lee Davitt, Senior Structural Analysis Engineer – Marine & Aerospace Team
  • Maria Williamson, Head of Engineering Delivery – Marine & Aerospace Team
  • Nic Hunt, Office Administrator – Marine & Aerospace Team
  • Peyman Band, Associate Structural Engineer – Civil & Structural Team
  • Sue Wong, Software Engineer – Marine & Aerospace Team

A huge congratulations to everyone who was recognised by their colleagues and thank you to all of our Mentors as we continue on this learning and development journey together.

Find out more about our Early Careers Development Programme here >