Students from universities across the world will be competing for the CIOB’s Global Student Challenge taking place in Hong Kong in July.
The competition sees students acting as a board of directors for a virtual construction company, in a simulated environment that includes making staffing decisions, bidding on projects and managing cashflow.
The entrants will use software developed by Loughborough University where players make many of the same decisions taken at construction companies and is seen by the industry as an opportunity for university students to learn real skills in contract management, teamwork and leadership.
More than 50 teams from universities all over the world entered the competition, which began in March. The six teams to reach the finals, which will be held in Hong Kong from 9–15 July, are: Cali Construction (Glasgow Caledonian University); BRE Team 4 (The Hong Kong Polytechnic University); Oath Keeper (Chongqing University); Prestige Worldwide (University of Cape Town); Bond Agents (Bond University); and AGBA (Deakin University).
The winning team receives £2,000 along with access to mentoring from industry leaders who will offer advice and guidance on their future careers and professional development.
Dale Mason, one of the members of the 2015 winning team from Glasgow Caledonian University, said: “The best thing about this competition is the business learning side. It’s a massive learning curve, seeing things not just in terms of calculations and equations, but in terms of the outcomes of your decisions. The hardest thing has been learning diplomacy skills and finding a way to come to an agreement – team working – it sounds easy but it is quite difficult at times.”
