Applications now open for the next President’s Future Leaders

Incoming ICE President, Julie Wood, is looking for six to eight student members on degree apprenticeships, graduate members, or technician members to join her as her Future Leaders.

The President’s Future Leaders Scheme is an opportunity for up-and-coming engineers and technicians to gain an insight into the top of the profession and to boost their careers.

Successful candidates will:

• work on strategic ICE projects
• attend key institution events
• meet senior industry people and politicians
• be mentored by the president
• accompany her on regional visits

Social mobility

During her year as president, Julie Wood wants to work with her Future Leaders to focus on social mobility.

As she's been preparing to take on the role, she's been reflecting on her career journey and where it began: as an apprentice in the north east of England from a less privileged socio-economic background. 

That experience has highlighted the very real barriers that can arise when social class limits opportunity. For instance, limited access to resources, networks, role models and entry routes.

Wood wants to explore this issue more widely, bringing together lived experience, data-driven insight and sector-wide perspectives. 

"Expanding social mobility is first and foremost about fairness, but it is also a practical response to skills shortages across the infrastructure sector," she said.

"In civil engineering, it means recognising and nurturing talent wherever it exists, widening access, strengthening pathways, and ensuring progression is driven by potential rather than inherited advantage."

To select her Future Leaders, she's interested in hearing applicants' thoughts on the following question: how can the civil and infrastructure sector remove class-related barriers so people from less privileged socio-economic backgrounds can enter the profession, progress, and reach leadership?

Become an ICE President’s Future Leader

The scheme is open to ICE student members on degree apprenticeships, graduate members working towards professional qualification and technician members.

Applicants should submit the completed application form, their CV, a reference from their line manager, and their answer to the question given either in written or video format to [email protected].

The deadline is 12pm (UK time) on Friday 17 July 2026.

Further details can be found on the ICE website.