Congratulations to 2025 APM Project Management Challenge winners

The winners of the Association for Project Management (APM) Project Management Challenge were announced recently, recognising the hard work and achievements of several teams across the UK.

The APM Project Management Challenge is an annual competition which has been running for over a decade and is aimed at those who are new to project management. It is hosted by a number of Regional Networks throughout the UK and provides potential and emerging project professionals the opportunity to increase their project management experience, working as a team to deliver a real project from concept to completion.

The competition runs from November to April and culminates in a final awards evening, where the highest scoring teams present on their project and winners are selected and announced.

2025 Winners

London – Mott Macdonald

Next Gen PMs: Battersea Dogs and Cats Home partnership

NextGen PMs from Mott MacDonald partnered with Battersea Dogs and Cats Home to raise awareness about London’s growing stray pet population. Through two fundraising events, they raised over £500. The initiative made a significant impact on Battersea, enabling volunteers to pilot their first external fundraising event and significantly expand their outreach. Meanwhile, the team strengthened their project management skills particularly in change control and benefit realisation, making an impact on both the charity and their own development.

North East – Teesside University

Next Gen Navigators: Community-Led Urban Regeneration Project

Through stakeholder engagement, risk management, and sustainability planning, the Next Gen Navigators team collaborated with Middlesbrough Council and Boro Doughnut to deliver a scalable model to regenerate a fly-tipping hotspot in Linthorpe, Middlesbrough. The initiative integrated environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles and employed community-driven strategies to promote long-term behavioural change. It demonstrated effective application of planning, resource coordination, and benefits realisation, highlighting how early-career professionals can deliver impactful, locally embedded solutions through project management best practices.

North West – Gleeds

Leading Forward: Zoe’s Place partnership

Team Leading Forward partnered with Zoe’s Place Hospice in Liverpool to develop an e-handbook to encourage corporate fundraising and organising a fundraising event since the hospice relies on donations to cover 85% of their funding, implementing a feedback mechanism to help with continuous improvement of the e-handbook, and participating in a corporate social responsibility (CSR) day to engage directly with the charity and support Gleeds’ CSR initiatives. The team remains dedicated to supporting Zoe’s Place and looks forward to enhancing the e-handbook based on future feedback to boost fundraising and awareness for the hospice.

Scotland – Babcock International

Team Next Gen: SAY Women partnership

Team NextGen from Babcock made a lasting impact by supporting SAY Women, a local charity providing accommodation and support for young women affected by abuse. The team’s efforts raised over £2,800, nearly a year’s worth of essential care packs, and social media management support to boost SAY Women’s engagement and reach. Through a Ben Nevis climb, internal fundraising, and collaboration with a professional marketing agency, the team strengthened awareness and advocacy for the charity, ensuring continued support for those who need it most.

South Wales and West England – Babcock International

Team Drake: Access Plymouth partnership

Team Drake collaborated with Access Plymouth, a local transport charity, to become the main Minibus Training Providers in the area. Team Drake designed and implemented infrastructure, integrated systems and advertising, for the Minibus training service. The service extends to the wider community – promoting safer, more informed Minibus Transport across Plymouth. Addressing both financial resilience and public safety, the project supports Access’ future and strengthens local transport services, ensuring long-term benefits for vulnerable passengers and community transport providers alike.

Thames Valley – UK Atomic Energy Authority

Team ProJET Managers: Food Drive for Abingdon Foodbank

Team ProJET Management organised a food drive for their ‘Project for Good’ as part of the Thames Valley APM Project Management Challenge 2025. To boost engagement, it was run as a competition to see which campus building could donate the most items. Nearly 300 kg of food was donated to Abingdon Foodbank, as well as raising awareness about food insecurity. Despite challenges, the team delivered a successful and fun event through strong teamwork, communication, and problem-solving. The diverse team includes graduates and apprentices in project management, engineering, and science, all eager to learn more about project management.

Wessex – BAE Systems

Team Roll it Out: Mental and physical health activities aimed at early career staff and schools

The purpose of Roll it Out is to provide a long-term development plan to improve a person’s mental and physical health. It aimed to provide further education and solutions to mitigate mental and physical health having a negative impact on a person’s life aged 16-21. A Mental and Physical Health activity designed to help ease the everyday stress of work/school, there’s a group version with an interactive group based mental and physical health activity, and an individual version with a digital interactive pdf designed for participants to complete at their own pace and tailored to their preferred level of physical activity.

Yorkshire & North Lincolnshire – Department for Work and Pensions

GoalGetters: Smartworks partnership

The Goal Getters team at Quarry House, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) hub in Leeds, partnered with Smart Works to deliver a successful donation drive and bake sale. The project aligned DWP’s social mobility goals with Smart Works’ mission to support women into employment. It exceeded targets by collecting 337 clothing items and £316.82, helping dress over 60 clients and provide essential hygiene products. The initiative boosted community spirit, raised awareness of Smart Works, and inspired future volunteering. Strong project management, stakeholder engagement, and shared values ensured lasting impact and laid the foundation for future collaboration.