Rising Stars

The Institute of Water’s Rising Stars Programme brings together a collection of unique opportunities designed to develop the skills of a select group of emerging water industry professionals.

Professional Development

About IWater’s Rising Stars

This tailor-made Programme encourages young professionals to take charge of organising site visits, grow their communicative abilities, increase their confidence, and connect with industry leaders.

Our past Rising Stars cohorts and employers have credited the Programme with helping them secure jobs, enhance their skill set, build their network and increase their future employability opportunities.

Each year, through an application process, we select 8 IWater members who have shown both the potential and an appetite to progress within the water sector.

Rising Stars’ Testimonials

“The Rising Stars Programme was the perfect challenge to push me out of my comfort zone. It gave me the opportunity to meet industry leaders and professionals within the water sector, opening my eyes to the incredible opportunities for collaboration as we face some of the hardest challenges in the industry. I am excited to apply the experiences I’ve gained to future endeavours within the water industry. With this programme, you’re not alone. You become part of a brilliant network of young water professionals who are all like-minded and driven to make a difference”

Callum Barrett, 2024 Rising Star and Maintenance Technician Apprentice (Electrical) at Essex and Suffolk Water

“This year has been incredibly valuable, and I highly recommend it to anyone considering applying. The opportunities to visit a range of companies, engage with senior managers and CEOs, and participate in both local and annual IWater events has been an amazing experience. These experiences have significantly enhanced both my professional and personal skills. By gaining insights into different perspectives on the sector and taking advantage of the available networking opportunities, this Programme is highly advantageous for those selected and the companies that support us.”

Joel Armstrong, 2024 Rising Star and Operational Management Graduate at South West Water

“For me, the Rising Stars 2024 Programme has surpassed expectations by introducing me to friendly, knowledgeable, and curious people, who each impart their perspective on water like colourful jigsaw pieces. I am grateful to the Institute of Water for investing in us at the start of our careers, and encouraging our meaningful participation to address water challenges for the coming years.”

Caroline Pilat, 2024 Rising Star and Water Scientist at Arup

“The Rising Stars Programme has been a truly transformative journey! Traveling from Scotland to various parts of the country, I’ve deepened my understanding of the water industry through connecting with people, meeting influential figures in the industry such as CEOs and Directors, as well as attending various site visits, conferences, and events. This experience has significantly boosted my confidence in public speaking and writing about my work. I’m incredibly grateful to the Institute of Water for this opportunity and to WSP for their support. I wholeheartedly recommend the Rising Stars Programme to any early career professional looking to grow and connect within the water industry!”

Desislava Mihova, 2024 Rising Star and Assistant Engineer at WSP

“The Rising Stars Programme has been a truly one-of-a-kind experience. To be able to meet with CEO’s & other industry leaders at this stage of my career has been invaluable to my career development, and something that I will carry with me as I progress. I have made new connections and friendships which will last a lifetime and I couldn’t speak highly enough about the Programme.”

Seán Gilmore, 2024 Rising Star and Water Engineering Apprentice at AECOM

“The Rising Stars Programme has opened my eyes to the breadth of the sector and allowed me to develop a network of other young professionals in similar positions which has been invaluable. Through the Programme I have been able to discuss new ideas with industry leaders, learn in depth about areas I had previously little experience with, and develop a range of skills that would not have been possible in my day-to-day activities. It has helped me to understand what I want to be doing more of in the future; directly impacting my career pathway and trajectory. Being able to share the learnings from the Programme with my peers at RPS has also had further reaching benefits beyond just for myself.”

Robert Bates, 2024 Rising Star and Senior Data Analyst at RPS

“This is a great programme that I highly recommend. No other programme at this stage of your career can see you having valuable discussions with CEO’s or other influential people within our sector. The technical insights, meetings with regulators plus the network I have built this year would not have been possible any other way. Also, you will make some great friends in your fellow Rising Stars!”

Dan Cassidy, 2023 Rising Star and Water Technical Officer (West Cumbria) at United Utilities

“Rising Stars is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I have had opportunities I wouldn’t usually experience; my network has grown, my knowledge has expanded and I have made friends for life.”

Grace Wilson, 2022 Rising Star and Major Infrastructure Assistant Project Manager at Anglian Water

“The Rising Star programme has been a massive boost to my confidence and has opened up a lot of new learning opportunities for me.”

Abbie Mowat, 2022 Rising Star, and Management Sytems Lead, Scottish Water

“Rising Stars has opened my eyes to everything that is going on in the water industry but the best thing has been meeting several other like-minded people across the UK I have been able to count on for support.”

Anna Figueras Carril, 2020 Rising Star and Laboratories Team Leader at Scottish Water

What is needed to apply

To apply, you must be someone with:

– A full individual Institute of Water membership

– An employer who will support their involvement

– An early stage water sector career

– An appetite for professional development

Please note that we do not accept Rising Stars applications from trial members.

Employer Testimonials

‘The Rising Stars Programme has been great – it’s provided excellent insight into to challenges faced by the water industry, alongside the opportunities which are required to create a water industry that is fit for purpose for the future. Alongside this, the programme has given exposure to a network of like-minded water and environmental professionals, of all career stages.”

Josh Gittins, line manager of a 2024 Rising Star and Senior Scientist at Arup

“The fantastic thing about the programme is it allows the Rising Stars to go and see other companies and how they do things and bring great ideas back.”

Susannah Clements, line manager of a 2021 Rising Star and Group Organisation Development Director, Anglian Water

How to Apply

The deadline for applications is 23:59 on Sunday, November 3, 2024. Please note we will not accept any applications after this time.

You will need to complete the Application Form and send it with your CV and 1000 words to info@instituteofwater.org.uk

Applications are submitted to the Head Office, which acknowledges them and forwards them to the relevant Area Committee

Apply Now

Meet our Rising Stars of 2024

Callum Barrett

Electrical Maintenance Technician at Essex & Suffolk Water

As an Electrical Maintenance Technician at Essex & Suffolk Water (ESW), Callum’s responsibilities lie with the maintenance of all power and control systems on ESW sites. His daily tasks can vary massively, from fault finding on small electronic circuit boards to the operation of 11kV, high voltage switchgear – there is no limit, but this versatility is what Callum loves about his job.

As Callum’s 4-year apprenticeship closes in, there are a couple of areas he’d like to explore further. He’d like to become HV authorised so he can get more involved in HV operations and gain a further understanding of programmable logic controllers (PLCs) that extends past my level 4 HNC knowledge.

Callum’s message as a 2024 Rising Star:

“As challenges escalate in the water industry, it is important that we embrace a ‘One Team’ approach. As a result, I’m excited about exploring new, innovative ways to pass information up & down the chain of command for a comprehensive approach to problem-solving. The Rising Star programme will facilitate this, by connecting me with a variety of industry leaders, enabling me to bring best practice back to business.”

Elena Downes

Innovation Project Manager at United Utilities

Elena joined United Utilities in June 2020 as a Water Resources Graduate, following her MSci Geography degree at Lancaster University. During her scheme, Elena completed several placements in different business areas including Operational Hydrology and Catchment and was able to participate in graduate challenges which opened her up to other areas of the business such as Process Safety and Asset Health.

Following the completion of her scheme, Elena returned to her home team of Water Resources as a Business Analyst in 2022 and during her time in the team she led on the consultation of the draft plan and supported the successful submission of the 2024 Water Resources Management Plan. Ready to continue her personal development journey, in July this year, Elena started a secondment in Operational Excellence, which is a central team creating a culture of continuous improvement across the business.

Elena’s message as a 2024 Rising Star:

“As we move into AMP8, it will be more important than ever to create links and share knowledge between companies and this Programme provides an exciting opportunity to do that with others who are new to the industry. I’m really looking forward to working with my cohort to organise and deliver great experiences that will accelerate our personal development, whilst also bringing back learnings into our organisations that will allow us to progress together as an industry. I’m also really looking forward to getting more involved in IWater events and creating connections with lots of new people.”

Seán Gilmore

Apprentice Engineer atAECOM

Seán has worked in the Water Industry for 3 years, starting as an Apprentice Technician at WSP in Belfast, working mainly on Hydraulic Model Builds and Strategic Main Investigations as part of the Clean Water Asset Management Team.

In early 2023, Seán joined AECOM and in his current role as a Water Engineering Apprentice, he works within the Water Resource Team and has worked across a broad range of projects including Hydraulic Model Builds, Flood Risk Assessments, Ground Water Investigations and Design and Maintenance of Dams and Impounding Reservoirs.

Seán has worked predominantly on projects for Northern Ireland Water but has also recently begun working on projects for Uisce Éireann – Irish Water. In addition to this, Seán has been part of IWater’s NI Area YPN Committee for the last 2 years.

Seán completed my Level 3 National Diploma in Civil Engineering at Belfast Metropolitan College over the last 2 years and have recently started a Foundation Degree in Civil Engineering at Ulster University, all as part of an Apprenticeship Programme with his respective employers (WSP, AECOM).

Seán‘s message as a 2024 Rising Star:

“As a Rising Star, I’m looking forward to gaining a better understanding of the areas of the Water Industry I don’t work in. I’m also excited to meet with peers from across the industry that, if not for the Rising Star Programme, I wouldn’t have the opportunity to meet with. As an Apprentice, opportunities like this can be extremely beneficial at this early stage of my career and I can’t wait to take full advantage of the Rising Star Programme and everything it has to offer.”

Robert Bates

Senior Data Analyst at RPS Group

Robert has been working as a data analyst at RPS for 2 years, but before his water sector career, he worked as a winemaker. Robert feels that water is the industry that he wants to work in long-term as he finds both the day-to-day work and the greater field of knowledge incredibly engaging and worthwhile.

Robert’s responsibilities include supporting companies with their water resource management plans; the optimisation of policies for leakage reduction, and also developing demand reduction models from scratch, and project management. This work is essential to help water companies achieve the leakage reduction targets to 2030 and 2050 that they have committed to.

Robert is also currently involved in managing and delivering a collaboration project funded by the Ofwat innovation fund to develop a pipe lining solution for the 21st century water network.

Roberts’s message as a 2024 Rising Star:

“Through the Rising Stars Programme, I am keen to develop my industry experience. I will be able to engage with a wide range of topics and this should be perfectly supported by the range of backgrounds, roles, and companies represented within the Rising Star cohort for 2024, as well as IWater’s connections. I am excited to expand my network with the other Rising Stars, IWater members, and learn more from the wealth of knowledge within the industry I have been granted access to via this Programme. “

Dylan Powell

Graduate Civil Engineer – Delivery at Binnies

Dylan is a Graduate Civil Engineer who entered the water industry in 2022 while working at Binnies UK. Dylan is currently working on several wastewater projects on the south coast where he is providing storm resilience and increasing water quality.

These products will allow the reintroduction of fish into the local waterbody which were previously forced out due to poor water quality. These projects require complex design solutions, which also consider the most sustainable option that will have the least carbon and environmental impact.

Dylan has a passion to continuously improve the industry which is why he has undertaken several other roles which involve running the Social Committee, discussing emerging contaminants, championing the Professional Development Network and several business development roles.

Dylan’s message as a 2024 Rising Star:

“I am really excited to be a part of the Rising Stars Programme along with so many talented people. I am passionate about creating a more inviting space for young professionals to get involved in industry decisions. I also want to encourage young professionals to share their opinions on how we can create a more sustainable future for the industry. I am also planning to encourage social values to play a bigger role in our decision–making across the industry. I am excited to get started on this with the support of the Institute of Water. “

Joel Armstrong

Operational Management Graduate at South West Water

After obtaining a Geography degree at Loughborough University, Joel joined the South West Water Graduate scheme within the Regulatory department. Throughout the Programme Joel has undertaken a range of placements, such as managing South West Waters involvement in various partner projects within the Innovation team, to helping provide data insights into the company’s asset performance through being an analyst in the Asset Data Intelligence team.

More recently Joel has moved into the Water Resources team, contributing to Water Supply and Drought projects, which form part of the Water Resource Management Plan.

Partway through his graduate scheme, Joel undertook a secondment within the core PR24 team at South West Water, where he played a key role in coordinating and leading parts of the Long Term Delivery Strategy (LTDS) submission document. This entailed forecasting strategic investments out to 2050, for South West, Bristol and Bournemouth Water.

Previously, Joel held a placement at the Met Office, specifically working within the Flood Forecasting Centre and this was the start of his professional journey in the Water Industry.

Joel’s message as a 2024 Rising Star:

“I am really excited to be part of the Rising Stars cohort for 2024. The Programme will enable me and others to connect with a range of industry professionals, whilst gaining invaluable insights into the water sector. Through engaging with other Rising Stars and attending IWater events, I look forward to developing my knowledge of the sector as a whole and helping engage with current and future young professionals, who will be at the forefront of overcoming the challenges the sector faces.”

Caroline Pilat

Water Scientist at Arup

Caroline is a Water Scientist with an interdisciplinary background in environmental management. She works as a Consultant on climate and sustainability services at Arup.

Building on a scientific understanding of the solid, living, and changing Earth, Caroline’s work proposes innovative and collaborative solutions to environmental challenges related to water quality, water stress, and water security.

Caroline combines her technical knowledge of water systems with her strong interest in governance and community engagement. Her research on the participatory governance of river basins informs stakeholder engagement in environmental decision-making. Her projects aim to inform and educate people about the complexities of their local water systems.

Caroline recently won the Water Engineering Award for her delivery of community-led engagement around sustainable drainage systems. She is actively involved in promoting Water Skills among early career professionals.

Caroline’s message as a 2024 Rising Star:

“The Institute of Water is a “family” that truly invests in people and supports their professional development. I look forward to engaging with the rich culture, tradition, technical expertise, and social enterprises that can be found across Wales and the UK. I hope that my contribution as a 2024 Rising Star will showcase water-related innovations and opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration. Our work will hopefully inspire early career professionals to understand the importance of water, and encourage them to take on meaningful, rewarding challenges.”

Desislava Mihova

Assistant Engineer at WSP

Desislava’s journey in the water industry started in September 2021 after graduating from the University of Strathclyde with MEng (Hons) in Civil and Environmental engineering. During her studies, Desislava was enthusiastic about expanding her connections and knowledge in the wider water and engineering field through attending various workshops, competitions, site visits and hands-on construction experiences.

After graduating, Desislava joined the Water Asset Management team at WSP in Glasgow as a graduate engineer. As part of her role, she is working on Drainage Area Plans, Drainage Impact Assessments, infiltration and infill analysis and hydraulic modelling of options for a variety of clients such as Scottish Water, Northern Ireland Water and Severn Trent Water. Desislava’s contribution to these projects is helping to prevent flooding at properties and businesses, reduce storm overflow spills the environment, improve the quality of watercourses as well as has help identify areas for future investments to improve the wastewater system in her catchments.

Desislava recently presented her work during the CIWEM Urban Drainage Group Conference in December 2023 where she was awarded third place for the Adam Dean Award.

Desislava’s message as a 2024 Rising Star:

“Being part of the 2024 Rising Star Programme is an exciting opportunity to create meaningful connections with other young water professionals and leaders within the industry. It is also an opportunity to share and learn from our experiences and knowledge, talk about innovation and trending topics, as well as find the connection between our work and prove ways in which we can collaborate and inspire others to achieve common goals. I am really looking forward to starting this journey with the 2024 Rising Star cohort and be actively involved with the Institute of Water.”

Our Latest Rising Stars Posts

November 29, 2023

By Mia Tarrant, Process Scientist, Severn Trent It’s been another busy quarter for the Rising Stars, starting with a workshop…

July 8, 2023

By Mia Tarrant, Process Scientist, Severn Trent The busiest quarter for the rising stars, an excellent summer, with some interesting…

November 15, 2022

By Natalie Lamb I was fortunate to join the 2022 Rising Stars on a visit to Severn Trent to have…

November 15, 2022

By Grace Wilson As the 2022 Rising Star for the Eastern Area, myself and the other 7 Rising Stars were…

November 15, 2022

By Abbie Mowatt After an exhilarating first in-person event at Severn Trent, the 2022 Rising Stars were joined by some…

November 15, 2022

The 2022 cohort of Rising Stars attended the postponed Utility Week Awards 2021 in London at the Grosvenor House Hotel…

Contact us

If you have any questions about the Rising Stars Programme, please get in touch via info@instituteofwater.org.uk or 0191 422 0088 and a member of our dedicated team will be happy to help.