| About YRP |
|
About Young Rail Professionals
Around the UKYRP provides opportunities around the UK across our eight regions for Professional Development and Networking with peers, including technical seminars, presentations, site visits and socials. We collaborate closely with other professional institutions to regularly run joint events and initiatives. Our award-winning Rail Ambassador programme, provides opportunities for our members to visit schools, colleges and universities to attract the next generation into this dynamic industry. Our regionsWho we are / the YRP committeeOur Committee is formed of enthusiastic volunteers who all have day jobs working in rail. National Executive CommitteeThe senior roles of the YRP committee are elected annually to form our ‘Chair’s office’, which is supported by our appointed Executive committee members.  Victor Poznyak CPO Key Roles on our Executive Committee support YRP to deliver its objectives nationwide.
 Kelly Lo Deputy Financial Officer  Katie Williams Deputy Technical Officer Operational Committee LeadersEach of our nine operational groups is supported by its own committee too, led by the following chairpersons:  Matthew Murnane Ireland Chair What we do Annual Dinner & AwardsEvery year YRP hosts a dazzling black-tie dinner and awards ceremony, in order to showcase and celebrate the achievements of young professionals working throughout the industry, as well as to inspire them to become the future leaders of rail. The event is attended by some of the largest and most influential organisations and individuals from across the industry, and thus presents an incredible opportunity to network and socialise with like-minded professionals of all ages who understand the importance of supporting and investing in the future of the industry’s workforce. Through the customary presentation of the prestigious YRP Awards, YRP celebrates Mentor of the Year, Apprentice of the Year and Young Professional of the Year. Past venues have included The Roundhouse, Derby and The Brewery, London. Networking & DevelopmentTo inspire our members and enhance their careers, YRP delivers regular networking and development opportunities, including technical seminars, presentations, site visits and socials, at both regional and national level. Typical topics include events on Accessibility in Rail, the Digital Railway, High Speed Railways, How to grow your professional network, Technology and the Railway of Tomorrow, and Railways in the North, alongside An Evening with the British Transport Police and a tour of Ardwick Traincare Depot (Siemens). We also continue to deliver our flagship events in each region: our Summer BBQs, “Welcome to Rail” development events and Christmas parties; as well as a multitude of social events and collaborations with other organisations including the IMechE railway division, the Railway Study Forum, Waterfront Conference Company and Women in Rail.   into rail showcases fun and interactive learning opportunities to educate young people on the fantastic prospects that the rail industry can provide for them in their future careers. The programme aims to bring a positive and insightful outreach presence to schools, colleges, universities and the general public. Our partners in the rail industry and network of regional volunteers, have built an informed and creative programme of activities, covering a wide range of railway systems and the spectrum of STEM subjects, which are accessible for groups and individuals, whether that be in classrooms, at career fairs, at regionally held events or even at home. The into rail programme draws on the enthusiasm and creativity of YRP volunteers in the early stages of their careers. Sourced from our diverse pool of members, all our Ambassadors bring with them unique experiences from their careers in rail and great passion for the industry, whether that be in Operations, Commercial, Engineering, Rolling Stock, Track, Signalling, Finance, Planning, Design, Legal, Retail, Construction, Recruitment, Software, etc. Rail Week, the brainchild of YRP, is a week-long pan-industry collaborative effort aimed at bridging the rail sector’s looming skills gap and inspiring the next generation of rail professionals by giving young people, parents, teachers and careers advisors the opportunity to see, first-hand, the brilliant projects, facilities and range of jobs in the rail industry. This annual week of rail-related activity includes a plethora of events, visits and talks to promote careers in our great industry to the public, in particular to students at schools, colleges and universities across the UK. Rail Week 2019 saw over 300 volunteers and 100 organisations from across the rail industry donate their time and resources to this fantastic initiative. Events included a public open day at Siemens Mobility’s Northam traincare facility, a tour of GTR’s Selhurst depot, a Network Rail-led event at King’s Cross station and train simulators, demonstrations and a talk on how engineers keep the London Tram system moving for enthusiastic secondary school pupils, all alongside a series of “Welcome to Rail” events hosted by the YRP’s regional committees. Rail Week 2020 took a different format due to COVID-19. Our contributors brought the railway to kitchens and living rooms across the UK by placing fresh emphasis on technology. We had virtual depot tours, webinars, downloadable activities, engineering insights, Q&As, games, social media events, competitions and educational videos. In 2021, Rail Week will be from Monday 4th to Sunday 10th October. You can find out more about Rail Week on our dedicated website.   Young Rail ToursYRP is seeking to improve on its existing international relations as well as building new partnerships with foreign rail organisations, the objective being to provide YRP members with international opportunities to volunteer, network and develop. YRP has already hosted young rail professionals in the UK from the Netherlands, Germany and France, and a CRRC study group from China. In addition, YRP and the Institution of Mechanical Engineers Young Members Railway Division joined forces in April 2019 to offer, for the second year running, an international technical tour for its members. Following the success of its inaugural event in the Netherlands last year, the 2019 Technical Tour centred on the City of Munich in Bavaria, Germany. Over 45 delegates attended the 3-day event, which included presentations from Gatwick Fire & Rescue, Heathrow Express and the Munich Stammstrecke 2 line (the equivalent to the UK’s Crossrail). This was followed by a private tour of the MVG museum (Munich’s equivalent of TfL), Siemen’s Rail Service Centre at Allach, which includes their cyber-security operations centre, and the DB Netz (Deutsche Bahn) Operations Centre. 2020 saw Young Rail Tours undertake its first intercontinental trip, taking 21 delegates to Japan Heritage EngagementFollowing a successful working trip to the Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railway in November 2018, our heritage railway programme has gained impressive support and momentum over the last year or so and is now one of our most treasured initiatives. As well as providing young rail professionals with unique development experience and track work, engagement with this project encourages our members to embrace the railway in all its forms and promotes the idea of ‘giving something back’ to the industry we have all grown to love – whilst, of course, having lots of fun!  Supporting Charity Young Rail Professionals are proud to partner with Railway Children (www.railwaychildren.org.uk) to engage our members in fundraising activities to help this wonderful charity get to street children and bring hope and rescue to kids in need. YRP will also seek to support Railway Children in key projects and promotion of their cause. Each year YRP enters teams into the Three Peaks Challenge by Rail event and has raised over £20,000 in donations to the Railway Children charity since 2009, finishing 1st in the competition in 2015. Awards and recognition for YRPYRP and its committee members have received several awards over the years:
|
