Dundalk IT team among winners in Student Construction Challenge

Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT) recently hosted the annual Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) Construction Conference and Student Challenge on the DkIT campus. 

The event was sponsored by Ganson Group and Tinnelly Group. As one of the country’s leading educators of the next generation of construction managers and built environment professionals, DKIT believes it was the perfect location to host this national event, which brought students from eleven colleges and universities from all over the island, and potential employers together under the one roof.

The conference included talks from leading professionals covering topics including AI, gender equality, lean and modern methods of construction, and the reclassification of demolition waste as construction material. Over 24 diverse industry exhibitors and organisations, including contractors and sub-contractors, design companies, professional bodies and charities also attended the conference, providing students with the opportunity to meet a number of experts and discuss potential future career opportunities.  

One of the highlights of the day was the student competition, where students from across Ireland showcased their construction expertise in a dynamic competition, tackling a real-world brief within a very short timeframe. The project brief was both challenging and substantial. The students were asked to ‘address the world’s housing shortage’ and to present their recommendations, all in under three hours.

Aisling Blakemore, Oluwadamilola Ashi-Sulaiman, Evan Maher and Michael Bradley from the B.Sc. (Hons) Construction Management 4th year class represented DKIT. Team DKIT addressed this scope by coming up with a solution to compile a local prototype project in Ireland within a year, then expand this nationally within two years, European wide within five years, and globally within ten years.

The students were commended for their excellent idea and came third out of eleven teams. They faced tough competition against a number of fantastic ideas, with ATU Galway and UL claiming a well-deserved first and second place.

Denise Quigley, Head of Department of the Built Environment at DkIT said: "We were delighted to host the CIOB Student Challenge 2025 and CIOB Construction Conference at DkIT. It was the first time these two CIOB events were combined and the entire event was a unique occasion for education and industry meet in a truly dynamic way.

"We are very proud of our B.Sc. (Hons.) Construction Management student team who won 3rd prize. They demonstrated technical skills and also creativity, teamwork and the ability to work under pressure."

Brian Harmon, Programme Director Construction Management and Lecturer in the Department of the Built Environment at DkIT said: “As a lecturer in the Department of the Built Environment and a member of CIOB, it gives me great personal satisfaction seeing our students competing against the best and brightest of Ireland’s future built environment professionals and to see them on the podium, winning bronze medals, is really the icing on the cake. This is also the second year in a row that DKIT students podiumed at this event."

Sarah Hallinan, Regional Manager Ireland at CIOB said: “A huge congratulations to the team from DkIT for their podium finish in our CIOB Tomorrow’s Leaders Student Challenge competition.

This incredibly difficult challenge really puts aspiring construction professionals’ minds to the test, asking them to come up with complex sustainable solutions which they must present to a panel of experts in a very short space of time. I was delighted with the level of professionalism and awareness of environmental sustainability on display, as well as how well the students were able to communicate their ideas – these talents will stand them in good stead for their future careers.”

Learn more about courses in the Department of the Built Environment at DkIT: Department of the Built Environment at DkIT / School of Engineering / Academic Schools / DkIT - Dundalk Institute of Technology