The ECITB has awarded the contract to deliver the ACTIVE Cup project management competition to 20/20 Project Management Training. The training company will deliver its first modernised version of the popular competition 16-18 November 2026.
20/20 Project Management Training specialises in project management, project controls and project leadership training. It won the contract to deliver the triannual programme for three years following a formal tender that kicked off in February.
The ECITB ACTIVE Cup is a project management competition for the engineering construction industry (ECI). The high-pressure competition, which started in 1994, gives teams experience of the whole project management process as they manage a simulated project through an execution phase of around 28 weeks.
Tom Vincent, CEO of 20/20 Project Management Training, said: “We are genuinely excited and honoured to have been awarded the contract to deliver this hugely popular and highly respected project management programme.
“We want to ensure that the programme is brought up to date and reflects modern processes and practices in project management. So, we will be updating the content and delivering a pilot programme in the Autumn with the first competition open to teams in November 2026.”
Pictured main image: The Aker Solutions winning team from the January 2025 ACTIVE Cup working on its presentation.
“The ACTIVE Cup is part of the ECITB’s wider project management training programmes aimed at raising skill levels within the ECI.
“The team at 20/20 Project Management Training bring a wealth of knowledge and experience in project management to the delivery of the programme. This will enable this established and brilliant programme to evolve and continue to deliver that great learning experience that it has done for the last three decades.
“I just want to take the opportunity to thank the team at Cranfield University for running the programme with us for more than three decades. Speaking to many of the delegates over the years, the recuring comments I hear about the programme are ‘fun’, ‘intense’ and ‘inspiring’.
“I feel this popular competition is in safe hands with 20/20 to continue to develop and inspire the next generation of project managers.”
Andrew Hockey
ECITB Chief Executive giving out an award to one of the competitors at the July 2025 ACTIVE Cup
ACTIVE Cup key learnings
The ACTIVE Cup takes place three times a year – twice in England and one competition in Scotland. Each competition comprises 12 teams of five people from companies right across the ECI.
It gives candidates a deeper understanding of:
- Management processes in the continuous planning / execution / control cycle of a dynamic project.
- The ACTIVE Principles in the execution of a dynamic project.
- The relationship between cost, schedule and cash flow.
- Project risk management and the allocation of commercial risk through appropriate forms of contract.
- Commercial awareness and skills in negotiation with clients, suppliers and banks.
- Organisational skills working as a key member of a project team.
- Pictured: Runners-up Three60 Energy (top) and Altrad working on their project and giving their presentation at the March 2025 ACTIVE Cup event.
ACTIVE Cup teams include project management practitioners and project team members as well as engineers and support staff such as HR and accounts personnel who provide services to project teams.
20/20 Project Management Training has booked the facilities at Cranfield University to host the competition from its usual location near Milton Keynes.
Applications to enter the November competition will open in June, but ECI companies and individuals interested in registering a team can email: info.rm@ecitb.org.uk
Dates and details for the 2027 competitions will be announced over the next few months.
About 20/20 Project Management Training
20/20 Project Management Training is a Certified B Corporation™ and fully employee-owned organisation.
Since 2003, it has supported organisations and individuals to deliver projects with excellence through its project management, project controls and project leadership training services.
