Developing future leaders doesn’t happen by chance. It takes intention, investment and exposure to real leadership thinking.

The program supports organisations committed to building confident, capable professionals ready to lead people, projects and influence across our industry.

Investing in your emerging professionals strengthens your succession pipeline, improves retention and equips your business with leaders who can navigate complexity, change and collaboration with confidence.

The program is a flagship leadership initiative with a proven track record of developing emerging professionals across the consulting engineering and built environment sectors.

Through facilitated sessions, practical leadership tools, peer learning and an industry-led project, participants build self-aware, commercially minded leadership capability. The program exposes participants to diverse leadership styles, strengthens industry networks and ensures learning is practical, relevant and immediately transferable.

More Information - contact: Linda Gaunt, Head of Engagement

A core element of the Future Leader Program is an industry-led group project, where participants work in teams to tackle a real-world challenge relevant to our sector.

Guided by industry mentors, teams apply the leadership skills developed throughout the program to research, collaborate and present their solutions.

Projects are judged by a panel of respected industry leaders, with the winning team recognised for excellence, innovation and impact.

"For the last 5 years, I have been privileged to be a mentor on Consult Australia's Future Business Leader's course. It has been amazing to see the transformational development in the participants from the start of the course to the end of the course.

The Projects that the team work on, are complex, real life projects which require multi-disciplinary input and a lot of conceptual and abstract thinking, and the reports that are generated by the teams, are actually used by the end Client in the development of their projects.

This course really sets up aspiring future leaders for success in their careers."

Managing Director | AM Advisory Services Pty Ltd

"Being a mentor in the Future Leader Program is a privilege. The group work drives collaboration, pushes participants beyond their comfort zones, and delivers tangible growth - both personally and professionally.

As a mentor, it’s rewarding to witness how the teams support each other and how quickly they apply new skills in real-world scenarios. The role is about guiding, encouraging, and sometimes nudging, but mostly it’s about helping talented individuals unlock their own potential."

CEO & Founder | Ignite Global

"2025 was my second year being a Mentor for the Consult Australia Future Leaders Program. I’m passionate about helping others be the best they can be and developing the leaders of tomorrow. The CA Future Leaders Program is all about helping young professionals to become the leaders that will sustain our industry long after

I’ve retired. Sometimes the Mentor role is about working with my assigned team and providing guidance and advice on their project assignment, and other times it’s about the softer skills; dealing with team dynamics, keeping them focused and overcoming difficulties on the journey. Real learning happens when things are hard, not easy, so constantly challenging the team is part of the gig. I’m looking forward to being part of the program again next year."

Director | Victoria & SA, BG&E

More Information - contact: Linda Gaunt, Head of Engagement

Geotron Engineering Consultants
Senior Structural Engineer

The 2025 CA Future Leader Program was 100% worth the investment.

The presentations offered practical insights I could apply immediately at work and in everyday life.

The program helped me strengthen key leadership skills, including emotional intelligence, teamwork, sales, networking, negotiation, and leveraging emerging technologies.

I highly recommend the course to any engineer looking  to go beyond their “technical toolkit” and develop a true “leader’s toolkit”.

pitt&sherry
Associate Civil Engineer

The Consult Australia Future Leaders Program has been one of the most energising and thought-provoking experiences of my career. It challenged me to step beyond the day-to-day and engage more deeply with the broader forces shaping our industry and society, while sharpening how I think about leadership, decision-making and impact.

What I enjoyed most was the calibre of conversation that comes from being surrounded by curious, driven people who weren’t afraid to question, test ideas and learn from one another. That experience has stayed with me, influencing how I show up in my role with greater clarity, confidence and intent.

I’d recommend it to anyone looking to expand not just their skillset, but their perspective on what’s possible.

Arcadis
Civil Structures Engineer – Structures NSW

Completing the Consult Australia Future Leader Program in 2025 was an absolutely rewarding program.

The in-person experience has without a doubt significantly strengthened my leadership capabilities.

Over the eight-month program, I developed skills across many areas not only limited to Leadership Skills. Some of these included emotional intelligence, strategic networking, and effective communication, all of which I’ve been able to apply directly in my role.

The Infrastructure Australia group project was an exciting challenge on a topic that is very relevant to the current housing and infrastructure situation now. Working in a team with people from different companies on this project helped to reinforce the networking and collaboration which the Future Leader course is best for.

I can't express enough how much this program has not only enhanced my confidence as a leader but also expanded my professional network and perspective on the consulting industry. I would strongly recommend it to any professionals looking to take the next steps in their leadership journey. For me this course is 10/10.