We are delighted to announce that Faye Kennedy, a recent graduate of our BSc (Hons) in Construction Management & Engineering has been awarded the Rising Star honour at the CIOB Ireland Awards 2025. This is a national award which recognises outstanding early-career professionals in construction who show exceptional promise, leadership, and achievement.
With almost 50,000 members, the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) is a global professional body for construction management and leadership, promoting high standards and innovation in the built environment for the public benefit.
Faye, who hails from Butlerstown in Waterford, is a Project Engineer at Sanofi, and she has distinguished herself not only through her work but through her contribution to the profession and academic excellence during her time at SETU. Since graduating from SETU, Faye has become active in the CIOB community: she currently serves as a Tomorrow’s Leaders Champion and represented CIOB at the Girls in Engineering and Construction Summer Camp at ATU Sligo, inspiring the next generation of construction professionals. As the construction sector faces challenges of sustainability, inclusion, and innovation, it is young professionals like Faye who bring the energy, creativity, and integrity that will shape its future.
Brian Graham, Programme Leader of the BSc (Honours) in Construction Management & Engineering, who nominated Faye for award noted: “I can say without hesitation that her selection for the CIOB Rising Star award is richly deserved. I believe Faye’s success is a reminder to all of us in academia and industry that when we support students not just technically but as whole professionals, the returns are enormous. I look forward to seeing Faye continue to grow her influence in the sector; she is very well placed to lead positive change in construction in Ireland.”
Photo Caption: CIOB Ireland Award Winner Faye Kennedy (3rd from left) and fellow Rising Star nominees with CIOB Vice President Ola Obadara and Minister James Lawless.
