Network Rail is using engineering conversion courses to supplement the number of engineers available to design, manage and support key programmes such as the Great Western Electrification. Former British Rail and Network Rail track engineer Chris Parker spotted an article in Professional Engineering magazine and read of George Hallyar, a friend of the family who had taken the course.
My interest was not just a professional matter. Firstly, the original engineering conversion course run by the company was for track engineering. This was set up over 10 years ago when I was then employed by Network Rail at its London headquarters. I was given the task of leading the engineering input to the course’s development.
That course was a success and led on to the development of similar courses for other specialist fields of engineering such as signalling and electrification and plant (E&P) within the company. I was therefore pleased to get an update about progress with this initiative.
Adding to my interest was the coincidence that became apparent as I read into the article. One of the delegates on the particular course featured was George Hayllar, who happens to be the son of some very good friends of mine. I decided to find out more about this course and the training that delegates had experienced.
Non-railway environments
The course typically lasts nine months and is aimed at taking experienced engineering professionals with suitable qualifications, whose experience may have been gained in non-railway environments, to degree or HND level. The intent is to “convert” them into railway engineers well able to work in specific fields of rail engineering where the industry need is greatest.
Course delegates attend class based sessions at Network Rail’s own training centres or partner organisations. Modules for this particular course cover mandatory industry and professional requirements such as H&S, PTS, substation access and CDM regulations followed thereafter by technical modules appropriate to requirements for E&P, new electrification and project engineering.
Crucial also to the course are
short work placements featuring design, maintenance, projects and enhancements. A full salary is paid to individuals joining the course from the outset. An additional benefit is that the course is linked with Sheffield Hallam University (SHU) which provides two learning modules with a Post Graduate Diploma in Railway Infrastructure Engineering awarded to course members on successful completion of all modules both Network Rail and SHU.
Following successful completion of the course, delegates transition into their final target role in one of Network Rail’s many infrastructure projects, or in employment with one of the company’s partner organisations with delegates on the course.
New challenge
George Hayllar originally graduated in 2003. Having worked in a variety of roles since attaining his first degree, he was attracted by the opportunity when he saw the conversion courses advertised on Network Rail’s website.
‘I studied mechanical engineering at the University of Bath, graduating in 2003,’ says George. ‘Since then I have worked in a wide variety of industries including system design engineering in the telecoms industry, building services engineering, and more recently as a timber frame designer in the construction industry. I was looking for a new challenge in an engineering role and I found the job on the Network Rail job website. It seemed like an opportunity too good to turn down – there are not many companies willing to invest in re-training more experienced people like myself.
‘Working on the railway attracted me from an engineering point of view. The railway is a hugely complex system that inevitably involves multiple disciplines. The work in turn is therefore very varied and challenging which appealed to me.
‘The course is split up into three work placements which are generally in design, project engineering and maintenance. These are broken up by blocks of training both in Network Rail premises and in Sheffield Hallam University.
Nice place to learn
‘The course was a mixture of classroom lectures, activities and work placements. Many of the lectures were delivered by current experts in their fields from across the railway industry. Network Rail has recently refurbished its main training centre at Westwood so this was a particularly nice place to learn. Help was given to organise placements locally to you and, armed with placement remits, it was then up to us to make the most effective use of these and learn from as many people as possible in the time available. On successful completion of the course you are awarded a Post Graduate Diploma and some may choose to complete a full MSc in the future.
‘I really enjoyed working closely with a diverse range of people and I have made some very good friends and working contacts both on the course and in my work placements which has been great. I also enjoyed learning a brand new job, both in the classroom but also out in the real railway world. I have been lucky to be based in Swindon for my placements which is the central office responsible for delivering the Great Western Electrification Project (GWEP). My placements have been in Network Rail but also in Atkins, enabling me to experience a major rail infrastructure project from within Network Rail and also from the point of view of a design contractor. This gave me a good understanding of how major projects operate in a relatively quick time frame and from both sides of the contractual fence.
‘I have now successfully completed the course, and I am currently working as an assistant project engineer on the huge project that is electrifying the Great Western Railway between London and Swansea. The work has been interesting and varied. I have been involved with Failure Mode Effects Analysis of the newly designed overhead line equipment – Series 1. This has been a useful learning task for me as the system must be scrutinised at a component level, so I have got to know it well. I have also been involved with obtaining product approval of this equipment to ensure it is fit for purpose and safe for operational use on Network Rail infrastructure.
Privileged
‘These are vital streams of work for the project. Further to this, I am reviewing contractor designs to ensure they meet Network Rail standards and specifications. I am also examining the particular challenge of running overhead line equipment under existing high voltage power lines that cross the railway which may need to be re-designed or re-routed.
‘I feel privileged to be working on such a prestigious project, and I know that the work I am doing now will make a valid contribution to improving the future railway. The training I’ve had on this course as well as my previous experience has enabled me to hit the ground running, and I know I will continue to learn, develop and progress in the rail industry in the coming years. I would certainly recommend the conversion course to other engineers.’
Significant contribution
What can I add to this? It is great to see the continued success of something that I was able to contribute to some years ago, particularly when I have a personal connection to someone who is now benefitting from it.
It is also excellent to see how the original concept has expanded from the single specialism of track engineering to embrace many others, so that it is now making a significant contribution to addressing the rail industry’s huge appetite for skilled people to deliver what this country needs from its railways.
If anyone reading this would like to learn more about this initiative then further information may be found through the following link or by e-mailing: [email protected]
