The UK Government's latest ‘Plan for Change' is set to accelerate the delivery of infrastructure projects. With the reduction of red tape intending to speed up the delivery of critical energy transition infrastructure across the UK, the need for effective project controls has never been greater!
This is the backdrop of Assystem’s 2025 Imagine the Switch Student Competition, which encourages third year undergraduate and master's students to provide innovative and competitive solutions that will bring efficiencies to today’s vital energy, transport and infrastructure projects. Applicants can enter individually or in teams of up to four people.
The challenge for this year requires students to propose a digital solution that demonstrates how project controls tools can help take advantage of opportunities and mitigate risks under the Government’s new plan for change initiative to enhance the delivery of low-carbon infrastructure projects.
Improving project performance through competition
The climate emergency requires an acceleration in energy transition programmes, and with ever-increasing performance challenges (costs and commissioning times), engineering, digital and project management services lie at the heart of project performance issues, with the need to carry out more projects using limited resources.
A key element of this programme is skills development and talent management. Through this competition, Assystem seeks to champion innovation, encouraging students who have a passion about the energy transition to be creative and use their skills and project managers to get hands on experience and present their ideas in a real-world context.
The 2025 challenge: Capitalising on a new policy environment
With the Government’s new ‘Plan for Change’ initiative set to fast-track the delivery of 150 infrastructure projects across the UK, Assystem are inviting students to propose a digital project controls solution that leverages the opportunities of the new policy, including reducing costs and accelerating delivery time while addressing the risks associated with delivering low carbon infrastructure projects, such as potential environmental impacts and what that means for local communities. Examples of technology solutions include digital collaboration platforms, simulation and digital modelling, gamification and engagement.
Participants will be tasked with addressing key questions to formulate their proposals, including:
- What are the benefits of your proposal for improving the delivery of UK infrastructure projects
- How does your proposal take advantage of The Government’s ‘Plan for Change’ initiative to enhance and improve delivery of low-carbon energy projects
- How does your proposal mitigate the risks of project delivery considering the Government’s new plan for change initiative.
How to participate
Applications are now open for 2025 submissions here. The competition is open to all undergraduates and masters’ students studying in a UK University, participating individually or in teams of up to four members - no technical expertise is required, just big ideas, fresh perspectives, and a drive to make an impact.
To get involved students can submit a concise application outlining their proposal by Friday 19th September. Shortlisted finalists will be notified by October 3rd and invited to deliver a presentation at the Project Controls Expo on 5th November 2025.
Rewarding success
Competition finalists will be granted tickets to attend the industry-leading Project Controls Expo taking place on the 5th of November, and the winning team will receive £2,000 cash prize and work placement opportunities for each team member with the company, scheduled for 2026.
Through our 2025 Imagine the Switch student competition we’re empowering the next generation of project managers to turn new policies into project progress. As part of our Switch to ImpAct initiative, which advocates for an effective energy transition through promoting climate awareness, knowledge and skills, this year’s competition challenges students to develop creative digital project controls solutions that improve performance and reduce risk to help shape the future of low-carbon infrastructure delivery.
I learned a lot about effective project controls from the competition process, from bringing about my idea to making it into something feasible, it was a fantastic experience to present in front of industry professionals! When you develop your presentation it’s important that you understand your source materials in the context of the energy transition sector. Diving deep into what project controls is all about gave me that confidence to explore how the application of digital tools supports the delivery of low-carbon infrastructure projects, and I hope to take these learnings with me into my work placement at Assystem.
