YRP need volunteers for our very own Santa Express steam train that will run on December 2^nd for children living in the care system as well as those with special needs. We have our very own train booked that will take the children and their carers from Loughborough Central to Leicester North and back again with Santa and his elves onboard giving presents during the journey.

What roles are available?

There are a variety of roles you can do on the day. These will mostly be at Loughborough Central station, but some will be onboard for those who win YRP tickets. These include:

• Checking-in children and carers as they arrive. A list will be provided.
• Handing out YRP merch.
• Assisting passengers and the media.
• Showing the children round the station as well as onboard the train.
• Help those with additional needs sit in the right section of the train. (i.e., no photo section and the quiet carriage)
• Talk to the children about the history of the railway and how a steam train works.
• Taking photos and videos for the YRP channel
• Show children to the signal box (if were allowed to).
• Talk to the children and parents about how they find using public transport.
• Covering for ‘no-shows’ onboard the train.
• Various safety duties onboard the train (such as keeping children away from the doors!)

Can I be onboard?

We have a small number of free tickets that are reserved for any YRP member that can get to Loughborough Central for 8.30am on Saturday December 2^nd. If you are interested in volunteering, there will be the chance of winning one of these tickets in which a ballot will be done if interest is higher than demand.

Date and Time

December 2^nd. Arrive at Loughborough Central Station at 8.30am to set up.

Contact details.

 Adam Sergent – 07511313987

Getting to Loughborough Central Station

Loughborough Central Station

Great Central Road

Loughborough

LE11 1RW

Please note this is NOT the EMR station. This is around a 15 minute walk from the EMR station.

Young Rail Professional Awards 2023 - Finalists Announced!

Launched in 2010, the YRP Annual Dinner and Awards celebrate individuals who have demonstrated commitment to the railway industry, be it via their outstanding ability, inspiring others or simply doing something extraordinary.

Hosting up to 500 attendees and kindly sponsored by CPC Project Services, this year’s event will be held in the impressive ICC in Birmingham on Thursday 13^th April. Birmingham has a wealth of railway history and heritage, making it an ideal location for the dinner. As important as the history of rail in this region is its future. In recent years, Birmingham has seen significant investment in the rail sector, with programmes such as HS2 making up the biggest transport interventions in the region since the industrial revolution. We look forward to welcoming you!

Acknowledgement of the accomplishments of young people, inspirational mentors and supportive employers is vital to celebrate the continued drive for excellence within the rail industry. Please join us in congratulating the finalists for the Young Rail Professional Awards 2023!

The winners will be announced at the awards ceremony on Thursday 13^th April.

For more information about the event, keynote speaker and ticket prices, please click here. Still need convincing? Take a look at last year's event!

We are reaching full capacity, and bookings will close on Thursday 30th March. To to purchase your table or ticket please contact fiona.westcough@youngrailpro.com.

For any general enquiries about the event itself, please contact award@youngrailpro.com.

Keynote Speaker

YRP is delighted to welcome keynote speaker Ruth Busby. Ruth is People and Transformation Director (Regional) for Great Western Railway and Network Rail, Wales and Western, a new strategic joint role for 2023 at the forefront of industry collaboration. Prior to this Ruth was HR Director at Great Western Railway (GWR), leading the people agenda with a focus on engagement, leadership, customer focus, kindness, equality, inclusion, diversity, and wellbeing. Ruth played a critical role in delivering the biggest timetable change at GWR since the 1970s, training over 5000 colleagues in customer service skills, and delivering a new leadership development programme.

Additional to her role, Ruth has been involved in several industry wide and Youth activities, such as Executive Sponsor for Rail Wellbeing Live, Trustee of Women in Rail and a Non-Executive Director for Youth Futures Foundation (YFF). Ruth is a Fellow of the CIPD, was awarded HR Director of the Year at the Personnel Today Awards in 2021, and with her team HR Team of the Year in 2020.

And the Finalists are... 

Young Rail Professional of the Year    

• Bill Guo, Jacobs
  
• Daniel Wilson, SRC Infrastructure
  
• Gemma Southgate, Transport for Wales
• Grace Thompson, West Midlands Trains

Proudly sponsored by CPC Project Services. 

Apprentice of the Year

• Amélie Williams-Slade, Alstom
  
• Lucy Davison, SYSTRA
  
• Niamh Mc Keating, Alstom
  

Proudly sponsored by KPMG.

Mentor of the Year

• Alex Theofilidis, Jacobs
• Temi Afolabi, The Nichols Group
  
• Tom Flannery, Atkins
  

Proudly sponsored by c2c.

Employer of the Year

• Egis Transport Solutions
• Hitachi Rail
• Vextrix

Proudly sponsored by RailwayPeople.com 

Volunteer of the Year

• Agata Wesek, London & South East Regional Vice Chair & Annual Dinner Team coordinator
• Molly Crowther, Wales Regional Vice Chair & Regions co-Lead
• Veena Kumari, West Midlands Regional Chair & External Relations Lead

Launched in 2010, the YRP Annual Dinner and Awards celebrate individuals who have demonstrated commitment to the railway industry, be it via their outstanding ability, inspiring others or simply doing something extraordinary.

Hosting up to 500 attendees and kindly sponsored by CPC Project Services, this year’s event will be held in the impressive ICC in Birmingham on Thursday 13^th April. Birmingham has a wealth of railway history and heritage, making it an ideal location for the dinner. As important as the history of rail in this region is its future. In recent years, Birmingham has seen significant investment in the rail sector, with programmes such as HS2 making up the biggest transport interventions in the region since the industrial revolution. We look forward to welcoming you!

Acknowledgement of the accomplishments of young people, inspirational mentors and supportive employers is vital to celebrate the continued drive for excellence within the rail industry. Please join us in congratulating the shortlisted nominees for the Young Rail Professional Awards 2023!

The finalists within each category will be announced on 16^th March and winners will be announced at the awards ceremony on Thursday 13^th April.

For more information about the event, keynote speaker and ticket prices, please click here. Still need convincing? Take a look at last year's event!

Remaining tables are limited and selling fast on a first come first served basis, so to purchase your table or ticket please contact fiona.westcough@youngrailpro.com.

For any general enquiries about the event itself, please contact award@youngrailpro.com.

Keynote Speaker

YRP is delighted to welcome keynote speaker Ruth Busby. Ruth is People and Transformation Director (Regional) for Great Western Railway and Network Rail, Wales and Western, a new strategic joint role for 2023 at the forefront of industry collaboration. Prior to this Ruth was HR Director at Great Western Railway (GWR), leading the people agenda with a focus on engagement, leadership, customer focus, kindness, equality, inclusion, diversity, and wellbeing. Ruth played a critical role in delivering the biggest timetable change at GWR since the 1970s, training over 5000 colleagues in customer service skills, and delivering a new leadership development programme.

Additional to her role, Ruth has been involved in several industry wide and Youth activities, such as Executive Sponsor for Rail Wellbeing Live, Trustee of Women in Rail and a Non-Executive Director for Youth Futures Foundation (YFF). Ruth is a Fellow of the CIPD, was awarded HR Director of the Year at the Personnel Today Awards in 2021, and with her team HR Team of the Year in 2020.

Shortlisted Nominations

Young Rail Professional of the Year    

• Bill Guo, Jacobs
• Charlie Smith, Porterbrook
• Conor O'Donnell, Atkins
• Daniel Wilson, SRC Infrastructure
• Felix Rogers, Arup
• Gemma Southgate, Transport for Wales
• Grace Thompson, West Midlands Trains
• Natalie Gravett-Foyn, Arup
• Riona Ainge, SYSTRA
• Robert Earles, Network Rail

Apprentice of the Year

• Amélie Williams-Slade, Alstom
• Jacob Cassidy, Freightliner Maintenance Limited
• Lucy Davison, SYSTRA
• Michael Holden, VolkerRail
• Niamh Mc Keating, Alstom
• Rebecca Jackson, VolkerRail
• Tia Evans, Arup

Mentor of the Year

• Alex Theofilidis, Jacobs
• Michael Chung, Atkins
• Nadine O'Toole, VolkerRail
• Oly Turner, GTR
• Sarah Mennell, VolkerRail
• Stephen Martinez-Hill, HICSE
• Temi Afolabi, The Nichols Group
• Tom Flannery, Atkins

Employer of the Year

• Nominations have re-opened until Tuesday 28th February. For award criteria, or to nominate your company/organisation, please click here. 

Volunteer of the Year

• Finalists announced on 16^th March! 

I have been in the rail industry since 2018 and work for Great Western Railway, currently near the Bristol area. Before that, I moved away from home aged eighteen for my first role in the industry based in the Kennet & Thames Valley.

When I was a young kid, my dream of being around trains and railways shined in abundance. Not necessarily being at the end of a train platform taking photos, but appreciating the fine hard work that has evolved our industry. I struggled in school in many ways. I was diagnosed with Autism at the age of seven. I had a speech delay on top of this and only started to speak fully at the age of six. Throughout my school life, I had a lot of self -doubt and I worried a lot about my future. I dreamt about working on the railway for as long as I can remember. Me being me I am very goal driven and I have never lost touch of a personal ambition. Since being a young lad at the age of four, I dreamt of working around locomotives. Until this very day I have the ambition and the drive to fulfil my dreams of becoming a train driver, no matter what. People around have never doubted me. Many would say I'm dedicated, hard-working and sometimes stubborn. Some would say I'm very "by the book." At the age of sixteen, I became a young author, writing books and publishing them to raise awareness of Neurodiversity and Autism. Considering my age at the time, I feel that this was a great achievement.

In school, I was labelled many things, such as awkward, to name but a few. But over time, I turned this around and I changed the negatives into positives. I am glad to be different; we would all be boring if we were the same! Throughout my childhood years and transitioning into my adulthood, I was having to re-learn myself when I became a teenager. I needed to understand my emotions, or how to feel a certain emotion and how to express it. It wasn't easy, but over a period of time, I overcome it with the support around me.

The word Autism, many years ago, was not diagnosed. It was simply seen as "naughty". Now, within the last 15 years, Autism diagnosing has become more common particularly in females where a female autistic people present different attributes to males living with Autism.

My mother is another example. She dreamt of becoming a police officer and fulfilled her dreams. My mum was a firearms officer before coming a normal PC. My mum is much like me, very goal orientated and hard working. Over a long period time she learnt a lot about herself and realised that she needed to visit the doctor for an assessment to determine many variables. The Autism diagnosis process can take months and years and at the age of 35 she was given a diagnosis for Autism .

Working on the railway as a neuro-divergent ticks many industry boxes as I enjoy following rules, making decisions, strategic thinking processes and problem solving to name but a few. I enjoy that every day is never the same as the next. I enjoy any atmosphere that I may work in be that working on a diesel or steam locomotive in my spare time, or on a train station. I enjoy the adrenaline rush, I enjoy handling pressure as it gets me thinking. It is like solving a puzzle, you have got to find the last piece for it to be completed.

In my time working on the railway so far, I have had a lot of individuals approach me to ask some questions to join the industry. Many have asked questions, but this one stuck with me a while - "My son has recently been diagnosed with Autism, and struggles with his dyslexia, will he be able to apply for a railway job still? I'm worried for his dreams! - I met this person two years ago at a conference. I sat down with this chap and his mum and assured them their differences are not going to define them a single bit. I explained that I lived with the spectrum and I managed to get into the career of my dreams, although I have a lot more hard work to do. But nothing is ever impossible. It is all about mind-set. I explained, that there are thousands who work in our industry who live with Autism and various difficulties and have gone and done amazing things. There's no such thing as “can’t”, or “won’t”. Instead, you just go and do it.

I ended up bumping into this young chap who I had a chat two years ago nearly six months ago and he is now working on-board trains as an apprentice for a Train Operating Company up in the Midlands. I was so pleased! He shook my hand and said, if it wasn't for you talking to me, I wouldn't be standing here right now about to book on for work as if I had not of spoken to you, I would have just given up.

Very recently I read an article, about a lady train driver, who is also the Disability REP for ASLEF - Train Drivers Union and is also autistic. The article was named ‘I am special just like you’ It was very eye opening and made it me feel relieved, because no matter what we live with, we are all different, just like you. And being different has so many positive attributes in our professional and social lives. It has shown me and many in our industry, that we can go and achieve great things.

If there is one message I can give to you today, it is to stick at it, work hard and never give up. We will get to where we need to be in no time.

Keep at your goals and don't let your differences define you!

If you'd like to read the article mentioned the link is here: https://aslef.org.uk/news/i-am-special-just-you

Please join us in congratulating the finalists for the Young Rail Professional Awards 2022! The YRP awards recognise individuals who have made exceptional contributions to the rail industry, through their outstanding achievements, extraordinary enthusiasm and inspiration to others. Winners will be announced at the Annual Dinner on 21^st April.

The awards are kindly sponsored by CPC Project Services LLP.

Your finalists are…

Young Rail Professional of the Year 2022

• Lucy Ellis, Laing O’Rourke
• Hannah Nicholls, Mott MacDonald
• Simon Rawlings, Chiltern Railways

Young Rail Professionals' Apprentice of the Year 2022

• Daisy Carter, Jacobs
• Brad Gallagher, Vextrix Management Ltd
• Saeda Maihanwal, Alstom
• Marnie McKay, Atkins

Young Rail Professionals' Mentor of the Year 2022

• Mariyan Petrov, Balfour Beatty
• Ian Puckrin, Network Rail
• Naomi Rial, Atkins

Lee Paine: Former Infantry Lance Corporal turned rolling stock maintenance engineer before stepping into Network Rail as a Scheme Project Manager. Lee served for just under 7 years in the 2^nd Battalion, Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment and will be leading this Armed forces initiative to help bridge the gap for ex forces and veterans wishing to join the railway and helping that transition be even smoother.

Lewis Matthews: Former Sergeant in the Royal Engineers with over 13 years Military experience, including deployments to Iraq & Afghanistan. Lewis left the Army in November 2020 and started a new career with Network Rail as a workforce health, safety & environment advisor at London bridge delivery unit.

Lee & Lewis previously worked together at the Army Training Centre Pirbright, they both had successful Military resettlement processes and found employment in the railway before they left the forces. They both have great experience and knowledge of helping ex forces into rail and have walked the path and know the barriers and boundaries as well as the questions service leavers have.

The Armed Forces Engagement Leads will help bridge the gap between military and the railway, and help service leavers better understand what roles they should be looking at given their background and skill set. They will also help those in rail that would like to investigate the military as a reservist and give advice on military life and the benefits that brings both personally and professionally. Lee and Lewis both served in different areas of the Army and work in different areas of the railway now, so they have a range of experience and enthusiasm to lead this successfully.

Look forward to live events, information about rail companies that are actively employing service leavers, courses that can help towards getting your foot in the door, podcasts of our resettlement including advice and top tips!

If you would like our Military Engagement Team to support any events or initiatives that you are organising, please email military@youngrailpro.com.

With a diagnosis comes many mixed emotions. Living in a world that, for decades, has carried so many negative connotations and stereotypes, can hugely impact upon one’s confidence. This in turn can make someone feel like the opportunities available to them will decrease significantly because of their diagnosis.

However, showing solidarity, and obtaining a more accurate and realistic understanding of the autistic spectrum, can help further the progress already made in supporting the inclusion of autistic people in both the rail industry and wider society. In an industry that is constantly striving for better, recognising potential in autistic people, with no pre-conceptions based on stereotypes and caricatures, will be beneficial not only for autistic people but also for you, your team, your organisation, and the rail industry.

Young Rail Professionals is dedicated to supporting, encouraging, and including autistic people and other neurodiverse talent in joining our organisation and supporting the work we do. We will remain advocates for the inclusion of neurodiverse people within the rail industry.

Here are some resources on Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD):

• https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/what-is-autism
• https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/stories
• International Day of People with Disabilities - Young Rail Professionals
• Autism - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

This month we’re fundraising for akt. They support young LGBTQ+ people 16-25yrs facing homelessness & difficulties at home. Supporting akt, supports young people into safe places for education, employment & training. Check them out http://akt.org.uk .

We’ve teamed up with Masquettes to produce our very own #Progress masks with all proceeds going to akt.

Snap up a limited edition mask: YRP Pride 2021 Face Covering by Masquette | Masquette

Or donate directly: Young Rail Professionals is fundraising for akt - the albert kennedy trust (justgiving.com)

Please join us in congratulating the finalists for the Young Rail Professional Awards 2021! The YRP awards recognise individuals who have made exceptional contributions to the rail industry, through their outstanding achievements, extraordinary enthusiasm and inspiration to others. Winners will be announced at the virtual awards ceremony on 22^nd April. For more information about the virtual awards, please click here. To join us, please sign up for the online event here. It’s free to attend!

Young Rail Professional of the Year 2021 – Finalists

• Phillipa Armstrong, Alstom
• Coral Evans, Great Western Railway
• Lara Lightfoot, Story Contracting

Young Rail Professionals' Apprentice of the Year 2021 - Finalists

• Tamsin Leaman-Hewitt, Atkins
• Harry Turner, Alstom
• Maddy Turner, Alstom

Young Rail Professionals' Mentor of the Year 2021 - Finalists

• Wayne Batham, Balfour Beatty
• Mark Ellis, Alstom
• Jo Moffatt, Atkins

Anyone is welcome to join, as a way to keep motivated or meet other YRPs with similar interests.

https://www.strava.com/clubs/YRPvelo

https://www.strava.com/clubs/YRPrun

Contact Bonnie.Price@youngrailpro.com

Taking place on the 28th August, we'll be walking 30km from Old Kilpatrick to Helensburgh along the scenic John Muir Way. 

Whether you are a Young Rail Professional or a seasoned veteran of the industry, come along, raise some money, take in the views, meet the people and trek across this beautiful part of Scotland with the team.

Sign-up here: https://buff.ly/2OLYPY2 (Tickets cost £10)

To donate to the team please visit https://www.justgiving.com/team/RailTrek2021

If your organisation is interested in supporting the event or for more information contact YRP Scotland Chair Martyn Ross - martyn.ross@youngrailpro.com

This event follows last year's successful inaugural YRP Scotland RailTrek from Falkirk to the Forth Railway Bridge, where the team raised over £3600 for charity! Read more about last year's event here.

Due to COVID-19, our 2021 Awards will be held as a Virtual Awards Ceremony. Despite the extra restrictions, this occasion presents the perfect opportunity and stage to recognise those who are striving to develop successful careers in rail and make a real difference to the industry we work in.

In order to recognise the achievements of talented and passionate professionals at varying stages of their careers, YRP presents three awards in the following categories:

• Young Rail Professionalof the Year
• Young Rail Professionals’ Apprentice of the Year
• Young Rail Professionals’ Mentor of the Year

Find out more and submit your nominations HERE. Be quick, entries will close on Thursday 25th March 2021!

For any questions or queries relating to the YRP awards please contact our dedicated Awards Committee on award@youngrailpro.com

The programme is on track to launch on a trial basis with our first partner school in August/September 2021. Our mentors will work with allocated mentees for 1 hour a week over the course of a year, providing guidance and support on all things career based to help them excel in a rail career, from CVs to job applications and interviews. Meetings are planned to be online due to Covid-19 restrictions but may require in school visits. 

Could you be a mentor?

Mentoring is a fantastic opportunity to promote rail as a great place to work and inspire and develop the next generation of rail professionals. If you are passionate about the industry, have at least 3 years’ experience of working in rail, and are based in Scotland, we would love to hear from you!

Register your interest by emailing scotlandmentors@youngrailpro.com, telling us a little bit about yourself and what you can bring to a mentoring role. We are open to applications from across the sector - whether you work in engineering, operations, research or any of the other countless ‘railway’ roles! When you become a mentor, you will be issued with a pack of all the information you need.

See more information on the poster below. Please share with your networks. 

A key development this year was YRT’s formal incorporation into YRP, with continued support from the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) and the Institution of Railway Signal Engineers (IRSE). This move best places YRT to grow and deliver outstanding benefits to the industry.

YRT’s last tour in March 2020 to Japan was a huge success, taking 22 professionals on a once in a lifetime technical and cultural tour across key sites within Japan including; Tokyo, Kyoto, Himeji, Hiroshima and Miyajima, with a video of the tour now available to view.

With the hope of lockdowns being lifted, and with vaccine rollouts improving the outlook worldwide regarding the pandemic, the team’s focus is now on the future, with new and ambitious tours being planned.

To find out more about this exciting programme, contact Ben Vallely, YRT Lead at ben.vallely@member.imeche.org or Paul Case, YRP Head of Initiative Delivery (HOID) at paul.case@youngrailpro.com.

The Power of Small

A small conversation about mental health has the power to make a big difference. The more conversations we have, the more myths we can bust and barriers we can break down, helping to end the isolation, shame and worthlessness that too many of us with mental health problems are made to feel. Time to Talk Day is the day that we get the nation talking about mental health. This year’s event might look a little different, but at times like this open conversations about mental health are more important than ever. We need your help to start the conversation this Time to Talk Day – together we can end mental health stigma.

What's On

Time to Change have a host of events on - find out more at Virtual festival | Time To Change (time-to-change.org.uk) We at YRP are also hosting an event at 12PM on the day -  Sign Up Here - everyone is welcome!

What Can You Do?

The Power of Small Talking Tips - Talking Tips Poster

Use this bingo card to help start a conversation - Bingo Card

YRP signs Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Charter to support equality, diversity and inclusion in the UK railway industry

In early November 2020, the Railway Industry Association (RIA) and Women in Rail (WR) launched a Charter to champion equality, diversity and inclusion in the UK railway industry.  The joint ‘Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Charter’ is a commitment to work together to build a more balanced higher performing sector and has been backed by over 100 organisations.

The Charter involves several key commitments, including to:

• appoint a member of the senior leadership team as an ‘EDI Champion’;
• agree an action plan, monitor and report on progress made;
• provide opportunities for training and education of employees, support the progression of diverse individuals into senior roles to improve diverse representation at senior and executive level of the UK railway industry;
• create a culture that fosters inclusion and provide a safe space for all employees to talk openly, including at industry events and in meetings; and
• make recruitment and progression processes accessible and attractive to all to attract, retain and develop people of all backgrounds, ages, genders and identities.

The Charter is open to all companies, clients and organisations working in the UK railway industry who wish to play a role in promoting positive change in the rail industry. It seeks to recognise and build upon the progress which has already taken place, providing the basis to encourage further collaboration and action across the sector. 

We are delighted to announce that YRP is proud to have signed the Charter and is looking forward to proactively actioning, encouraging and monitoring our commitment to take forward our organisation-wide commitment. 

YRP Chair, George Chilcott, said: “I am delighted to announce that YRP has signed up to the RIA and WiR EDI Charter. The principles of the Charter are closely aligned to YRP’s values, and our commitment to these principles show a willingness to continually evolve our business to improve equality, diversity and inclusion in both YRP and the wider industry as we promote, inspire and develop the next generation of railway talent.”

“Separately, this year YRP has launched a Diversity and Inclusion programme, which I have asked to make recommendations for change to our Executive Committee. Activities, including monitoring and implementing changes, will be measured against the terms of the Charter and will ensure YRP holds itself to the highest standards in EDI, and is open and transparent in doing so.”

YRP National Vice-Chairwoman, Bonnie Price, said: "I am so thankful that YRP gets the opportunity to sign up to this charter.  To see our industry come together in such a way is profoundly positive and will help keep the momentum going around this topic. As YRP's EDI Champion I feel even more empowered to keep moving forward to true inclusivity, together."

Signatories currently include over 100 companies from across the UK railway industry, such as: Department for Transport; Network Rail; RDG; NSAR; Transport for London and Transport for Wales; ORR; BTP; Southeastern Railway; HS1; leading OEMS such as Alstom, Hitachi, CAF and Bombardier; consultancy companies such Atkins, Jacobs, CPMS, Costain and also Birmingham Centre for Railway Research and Education, Rail Alliance, Colas Rail, DB Cargo UK, to name only a few.  These include a number of YRP's corporate members.

The 3rd of December is the UN International Day of Persons with Disabilities. It aims to promote the rights and wellbeing of persons with disabilities in all spheres of society and development, and to increase awareness of the situation of persons with disabilities in every aspect of life.

We are pleased that we benefit from the diversity disabilities brings from across our current YRP committees. Martyn Ross, Operations Project Manager at Racon Consult and YRP's Regional Chair for Scotland and National IntoRail Manager, was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) as an adult. Here he shares some of his experience of working within the rail industry, advice on career development, and also his thoughts on what can be done to support people with hidden disabilities.

What do you enjoy most about your job?
I am involved in a range of different things, from internal projects to client projects and that exposure allows me to add strings to my bow on a near enough daily basis. I get to learn from people who have a wealth of knowledge and experience in and out with the rail industry, and that has been the case since I started my career in rail. Being able to bounce ideas or questions off of people in the know allowed me to build up my confidence and skillset and then, in some cases, become the person in the know too.
I’m also a massive fan of Microsoft Excel!

What parts of your job do you find most challenging?
Overcoming the anxiety of constant communication is a phenomenally tricky thing for me to manage. For me, it’s something that I’ve had many ups and downs with, and it can be extremely overwhelming at times. I generally avoid going out and socialising as it’s never really been something I’ve been interested in, and the experience I have in the run up to social interaction isn’t really worth it for me. Though, communicating in a professional capacity helps me build on my ability to manage that anxiety and get myself into a way of working with people on a daily basis, being in meetings and socialising a bit more – in a way that makes me comfortable. Although, this will continue to be an uphill battle for me, I’ve found that my rail peers have made this a smoother process than it could have been elsewhere.

What advice can you give to others wanting to get into Project Management?
I would say, “speak to Project Managers when you get the chance”. Most of the people I have met within the industry, even those who like a good moan about their job, always take the opportunity to talk about what they do and show-off a little. You can learn a lot by showing an interest without needing to know the right questions to ask or anything about the role specifically.

Read up too, or if you are like me and struggle getting through large documents at any considerable speed without getting frustrated, the wonderful world of YouTube has a lot of content to offer on project management. Although, you may not always find everything sensible or helpful, it’ll allow you to gain an understanding of how you would do something in the same position and understand if that is the best way or not.

What skills are required in your position on a day-to-day basis?
As a high-level summary:

• Leadership
• Organisation and Planning
• Good Communication
• Problem Solving
• Analytical Skills

And a few more, which are developed as you do the job. No one jumps into any job being great at everything and accepting that allows you to maintain any confidence you have and build on your skillset positively.

If there is ever a skill listed against a job you are interested in that you think is a bit far away, do not let it discourage you. Experts weren’t always experts!

What advice do you have for someone new to the industry?
Don’t be afraid to be yourself and be honest with others. I think there is an assumption from any walk of life that trying to get a job in any industry means that you need to be this confident, outgoing and comfortable person, that reads, goes to the gym, doesn’t have meltdowns, doesn’t struggle with anything ever and has it completely together in every aspect of life. This simply isn’t true. We are all human and everyone has that thing that they’ve always struggled with or perhaps they experience lots of social anxiety, and so the list goes on.

Remember, when you are looking for a job (although it isn’t always easy), they also need to be right for you. If someone can’t accept you for you, then maybe they aren’t the right organisation to work for. Although, this has not been my experience of the rail industry. From my personal experience, rail is a key advocate for supporting opportunities available for people with hidden disabilities.

If you are living with a hidden disability, any other disability or anything else that may cause you to feel restricted or limited in your career, try not to look at is as a brick wall in the way. Embrace what you think is a limitation and look for ways to make it work for you.

What can the rail industry do to support people with hidden disabilities more?
There are some key things the industry can do to continue to support people with hidden disabilities:

1. Continue to advocate for opportunities.
2. Continue to learn - speak to people and if they feel comfortable enough to discuss things you can learn a lot from their experience.
3. Don’t assume that you already have all of the answers and that everyone with a hidden disability is the same.
4. Ask people what would help them and if there are any reasonable adjustments that can be made to support them to thrive in their career.
5. From a general point of view, which should apply to everyone, think before you jump to a conclusion, you don’t know what the other person is dealing with and you don’t know the full impact of your actions.
6. Be kind!

With COVID continuing to impact the nation and our industry, and the recent decision to postpone the YRP 2020 Annual Dinner, YRP felt that now more than ever we needed to showcase the amazing talent our industry has and recognise the extraordinary contributions that young professionals make. 

This year, YRP held the 2020 Awards as a virtual ceremony to celebrate the achievements of young professionals, apprentices, and their mentors, and to hear the winners of these prestigious awards announced.

We are delighted to report the following winners and their reactions to receiving such prestigious awards;

Young Rail Professional of the Year Award: Hannah Truscott, Bombardier Transportation

“I am delighted to have received this reward. The achievements of all the nominees this year is inspiring and we should all be proud.

I am extremely passionate about enthusing young people about the many opportunities the rail industry has to offer. My interest in rail stemmed from a visit of a Bombardier employee to my secondary school, where she spoke about the importance of changing the stereotypical perception a rail employee. She talked about the variety of roles available in the sector ranging from train drivers and customer service, to engineers and project managers. I hope to have the same impact on the schools I visit over the course of my career as she did for me.

I would like to thank Nina Atwal for believing that I was worthy of a nomination. You deserve many awards and trophies of your own and I really wouldn’t have been able to be involved in as much as I have without your encouragement. I’d also like to thank my mentor, Philip Hope-Shannon. Thank you for always taking the time out of your extremely hectic day job to support my development with competency reviews, end of placement presentations and last minute meetings during my moments of uncertainty.  Finally, a huge thank you to Jane Sanders and those who support the running of the Bombardier Graduate scheme. The scheme is a true success. It not only provides graduates with a well-rounded understanding of the business, but encourages them to branch outside of the day job, be innovative, challenge the status quo and work with our local schools and communities. By having the opportunity to do this, we are able to educate students, parents, teachers, careers advisors, and those who are thinking about a complete change in career,  about what a wonderful industry rail is. I will forever be grateful to the Bombardier Graduate Scheme for providing me with the foundations for my career. Having finished the Scheme in September 2020, I have recently started my new role as a Project Commercial Manager for our UK Services Projects.  I am looking forward to managing my own projects over the coming years and embracing the many high’s and low’s heading my way. “

Young Rail Professional’s Apprentice of the Year Award: Jack Dalton, telent

“It is an absolute honour to receive this award and I’d like to thank Telent for making this possible and giving me the opportunity to learn and succeed! My future career ambitions are to keep heading in this current direction. I want to delve deeper into the Networking world and continually challenge myself every day. I think it is vital to have young people within the Rail industry as they form the future, and I encourage young professionals to learn more and get involved! Lastly, I’d like to give a special thanks to everybody within the IP Networks Team at Telent. Without the positivity and endless knowledge that they all provide, my working life would not be the same.”

Young Rail Professional’s Mentor of the Year Award: Nerdeep Mann, Bombardier Transportation

“Firstly, I would like to thank you all for this prestigious recognition and award for 2020, I see this as one of my most valued achievements.

It truly has been a journey for me personally and professionally ensuring every possible opportunity for all young rail professionals is explored. I cannot underestimate the hard work that goes into supporting our STEM and community outreach programmes that are fully supported and endorsed by our Bombardier Leadership Team. I would like to specifically thank Nina Atwal who works tirelessly to support local teams in addition to our wider business goals to attract young rail professionals with diverse backgrounds through, widening access to our opportunities. Furthermore, I must thank all our Mentors across our business that support our Apprenticeship program coaching and developing our young talent throughout their careers with such passion and enthusiasm.

Over the last few years, I have seen the criticality of recruiting young rail professionals as they offer such valued contributions to our business, a new way of thinking and doing things in what has been a very ‘traditional’ world! Many of our apprentices are already on successful paths, setting out their career goals with development plans – our company’s future is in very capable hands! “

The 2021 Awards will be held as a virtual ceremony in April 2021.

• Scottish Railway History
• General Knowledge of the Scottish Railway
• UK Train Operating Companies (TOCs)
• Railway Careers
• Railway Terms

There were three phenomenal prizes up for grabs for our 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd place, these were:

• Apple iPad – 1^st Place
• £100 Amazon Voucher – 2^nd Place
• £20 Nando’s Voucher – 3^rd Place

Qualifying participants, either in attendance at secondary school, college or university, were given 60 minutes to complete the quiz, which was live throughout Rail Week 2020. At the end of the week, University of Strathclyde student, Emma McDonald scooped the top prize with a score of 80%!

Second and Third place runners-up were Robyn Gray and Ola Beza, both from St Andrew’s Secondary School in Carntyne, Glasgow, which dominated the leaderboard throughout the week.

Our Winner, Emma said:

“I am Delighted! When I entered, I didn’t think I’d had a chance of winning so I couldn’t believe it!”

Our excellent prizes were sponsored by SVM Glasgow, a building engineering services consultancy who provided specialist guidance and solutions to the rail industry.

Craig Thomas, Director at SVM Glasgow said:

“Well done to all those who took part in the YRP quiz and a special congratulations to those who topped the leaderboard. SVM are proud to sponsor such a progressive and forward-thinking group in YRP who bring together many individuals from across the UK that can share their combined railway knowledge and experiences. Stay involved, participate and do share your knowledge.”

As IntoRail continues to promote, inspire and develop the next generation of railway talent, allowing people to challenge themselves with a fun quiz that showcased the industry as it is today, the history of rail and the careers available and what they involve was a great way of showing young people some of the exciting things a career in rail could hold for them!

Ciaran Thomson, IntoRail Programme Manager, Scotland said:

“For me, it’s important to educate young people on the opportunities available to them in the rail industry, especially during these tough times. There are so many different routes to success, many of which are unknown until you get your foot in the door.

It was a massive success for us, and I’m chuffed with how many young people took part!”

The quiz has enabled YRP Scotland’s IntoRail team to build partnerships with educational institutions to continue to engage with student on careers in rail and hopefully attract tomorrow’s railway family.

Young Rail Professionals Scotland would like to pay special thanks to SVM Glasgow for their generosity in providing such excellent prizes which enabled this event. We look forward to working with them in the future!

Following the success of the quiz, we will be rolling out more of these exciting events for young people and students to get involved in, so keep an eye out on our website and on social media!

If you would like to get involved with YRP Scotland’s IntoRail team, please email: ciaran.thomson@youngrailpro.com

You can find details of our sponsors SVM Glasgow here: https://www.svm-glasgow.co.uk/

I served in the British Army and signed my will at 18 years old. It is not something you can do lightly; my predecessors would have known what it could have meant. Leaving behind their spouses, children, parents, their futures. Even those who did return from war, would never be the same again.

When you go home, tell them of us and say. For your tomorrow, we gave our today.

For your tomorrow, we gave our today.

This famous - and very moving - quote by John Maxwell Edmunds immediately came to mind when I was asked to make this address.

My brief was to talk about building on the past to create the future. And what an incredible past it has been to build on! The bravery, strength and resilience of those on the front line, was matched by determination, strength and selflessness of railway people who struggled on the home front. Their contribution was every bit as important as those who fought with bayonets on the front line.

Without these efforts by Britain’s railway workers our future would have been bleak indeed, and their gift of our tomorrow has not and will not go in vain, nor will it be forgotten. They provided a firm foundation on which great things have been built.

That’s why, events like today are so important for keeping these railway workers memories and sacrifices alive. It is their legacy, and it’s an incredible legacy to have left behind. Today is also a chance to celebrate the incredible advancements that came from the very depths of adversity. The creativity, resourcefulness and resilience demonstrated by everyone involved in the war effort, brought about many changes which have shaped the modern Britain we know today.

During the war women were able to prove they could carry out traditionally male roles, such as engineering. Today there is a big drive to encourage more women to join this fantastic industry and enhance diversity.

WW1 also helped demonstrate just how adaptable the rail industry can be. Working quickly and innovatively the railway was able to transport hundreds of thousands of soldiers, kit and equipment to the front line at a moment’s notice.

That spirit of rail delivery is in our DNA. We are now planning a future with new technology, new trains, and better ticketing for our passengers. Those before us gave us the foundations to succeed. For that we will be forever grateful.

Read more about our YRP ex-forces members at https://www.youngrailpro.com/news/514551/Armed-Forces-Day-A-chance-to-show-your-support.htm

Ninarita Williams is a Project Manager at Transport for London (TfL) working on the signalling and construction for the +£5bn Four Lines Modernisation Programme (4LM). With a reputation for successfully managing large-scale and influential projects, Ninarita has also managed award-winning projects including the operation to bring cooling and ventilation to underground hotspots on the Jubilee, Bakerloo and Victoria lines. A particularly proud achievement of Ninarita’s was project managing the ground-breaking DCA Sim project set to drastically alter the industry by changing the way trains are tested and maintained. In the last 3 years, Ninarita has have led project teams to save TfL circa. £2.5 million through the implementation of innovative procurement strategies, pro-active value engineering and progressive core-team and supply-chain integration working.

She currently holds one of the YRP judging panel roles for the National Rail Awards and is also an active mentor coaching young people in STEM and has mentored one young person into a higher-level professional role each year for the past three years. Ninarita has recently been announced as the 2020 Rising Star Winner in STEM for the Black British Business Awards!

What attracted you to a career in the rail industry?

I was attracted to a career in rail as I wanted to work in an industry where I could make a social impact. Having used the railway daily and witnessed the impact of ongoing issues first-hand, I wanted to not only understand the cause, but help with the solutions. I wanted to solve everyday rail problems and hopefully contribute to improving the lives of thousands, by finding ways to make their rail journeys better. As a goal-oriented individual who seeks to thrive in high-pressure, dynamic environments; being a Project Manager seemed like a natural career choice.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

As much as I enjoy achieving milestones and reaching the end goal - project completion! – The thing that I enjoy the absolute most about my job is the people I get to work with and meet. I am fortunate enough to work with great people who are passionate about what they do and always pull together to deliver. The amazing amount of knowledge, creativity and intellect that you’re surrounded with in this industry is something to be appreciated - I love that there’s always something new to be learnt.

What is the biggest myth you have encountered about working in the railway?

When I tell people that I work in rail they assume that we spend all hours of the day crawling around in cold, sooty, underground environments. This can be part of the job but’s it’s rare for a PM, as well as many other business functions in rail. Although I do visit my sites weekly, I’m mostly office based. Even when I do go to site it’s never that dirty and I’m in PPE so it’s generally not something I see as an issue. One of my favourite parts of the job is getting stuck in, seeing the everything in-person and being on site!

What advice do you have for someone new to the industry?

1. Embrace the fact that you’re in an industry whereby you won’t know everything and that’s ok. Ask questions without fear.
2. Seek out mentors and role models that you connect with for guidance and support. They have been on the journey and are therefore in a great position to offer valuable insights. There’s a lot you can learn from their mishaps, wins, experiences and general perspective.
3. If a career in rail is what you want don’t be deterred or intimidated by stereotypes – Your presence alone can defy them.
4. Don’t be afraid to be who you are. People tend to appreciate authenticity more than a facade. In addition, being you brings something that no one else can.

On Saturday 10 October 2020, Young Rail Professionals Scotland hosted the Rail Trek 2020 event to raise money for the charity, Railway Children. A group of 16 brave participants from the railway family met to take on the challenging 26-mile walk between Falkirk and South Queensferry along the John Muir Way.

We are delighted to say that so far over £3600 has been raised on JustGiving by the team, with donations being accepted until Saturday 21 November 2020. If you wish to donate, please click here. 

A relatively flat (but by no means easy) route was chosen due to unpredictability of the Scottish weather at this time of year, but thankfully it remained dry for the whole day. Beginning at Falkirk High Station, the route followed the canal towpath and River Avon Heritage Trail to Linlithgow, through the countryside to Bo’ness, along a scenic shoreside path and then through Hopetoun House estate before finally coming to the Forth road and rail bridges. Passing old country houses, farms, castles, towns, rivers, beaches, woods and plenty of railway tracks and viaducts, the ever changing scenery was a welcome distraction from increasingly sore feet as the miles passed by. The team were welcomed into Queensferry by a blazing sunset, in a fitting end to a long and tiring day.

Setting off in socially distanced groups at 8am, attendees had ample opportunity to get to know each other. We were joined by a diverse group of people from a wide range of companies within the rail industry. It was great to see members building up comradery, supporting each other and most importantly, remaining safe and responsible from the start to the finish line. It was an arduous walk, with an impressive effort made by all participants. Here’s what a couple of our attendees had to say:

“It was a great day spent in a lovely part of the world with equally lovely people! It was a hard graft and at times I felt that I wouldn’t make it all the way. But no early finish could have compensated for views we encountered along the way or for the sheer buzz of being handed my medal some ten hours after we set off, on the shore of South Queensferry looking up to the Forth Bridge.”

• Daniel McWilliams, Customer Service Apprentice, ScotRail.

“The walk was great fun, as well as a fulfilling challenge to partake in! I very much enjoyed getting to know my peers in Scotland and meeting YRPs from across the country!”

• David Westcough, Project Engineer, SNC-Lavalin Atkins

As a committee, YRP Scotland are thrilled to have held such a successful fundraising event and will be posing another Rail Trek Challenge in Summer 2021. We hope this will become an annual opportunity for members across the country to explore the wonderful and wild Scottish landscape (and rail network), whilst raising money for a worthwhile cause.

“It was a thoroughly enjoyable day from start to finish, and I’m so proud of everyone who took part. It wasn’t an easy challenge, and you could see the effort everyone had put in at the finish line. I would also like to thank all of the participants for allowing us to deliver a safe and successful event in the midst of the COVID pandemic, by being safe and responsible throughout the day. We have received so many kind donations, and I’m over the moon with the response we’ve had for Rail Trek 2020. Now I cannot wait for Rail Trek 2021! Railway Children is a more than worthwhile cause and I’m proud to have been involved in putting the event together.”

• Martyn Ross, Regional Chair, Scotland, Young Rail Professionals

Thank you to everyone who took part and those behind the scenes who made this possible. We are particularly grateful to Katie Mason and Lindsay Gardner from Railway Children for all of the support received.

If you’d like to join us for Rail Trek 2021, make sure to keep an eye out on the YRP website and social media for the details!

https://www.justgiving.com/team/railtrektotheforthbridge

Please join us in congratulating the finalists for the Young Rail Professional Awards 2020! The YRP awards recognise individuals who have made exceptional contributions to the rail industry, through their outstanding achievements, extraordinary enthusiasm and inspiration to others. Winners will be announced at the virtual awards ceremony on 3 November. Please sign up for the online event here.

Young Rail Professional of the Year 2020 – Finalists

• Hannah Truscott, Bombardier
• Jason Kairouz, Balfour Beatty Rail
• Lauren Rodgers, Network Rail
• Victoria Aviomoh, Arup

Young Rail Professionals' Apprentice of the Year 2020 - Finalists

• India Wild, Bombardier
• Jack Dalton, telent
• Jaslene Tamber, Bombardier

Young Rail Professionals' Mentor of the Year 2020 - Finalists

• Nerdeep Mann, Bombardier
• Peter Carragher, telent
• Russell Smith, Mott MacDonald
• Sally Wells, Arup

For the 2020 judging season, following an extensive selection process, the National Rail Awards welcomed three new YRP members to join the judging panels: Adam Webster, Rebecca Radford and Michael Chung. Joining existing YRP judges Paul Case, Katherine Howatson and Ninarita Williams. A few words from Michael Chung on his virtual experience for judging this year's awards held on 17 September.

As an Electrical Engineer in the infrastructure sector of the industry for just over 5 years, it has been a privilege to work alongside my fellow judges in the Customer Service Excellence category in this year’s NRA, whom are all well respected, experienced railway professionals. It was wonderful to read through all the excellent entries in my category, showcasing the different initiatives my customer-facing colleagues take every day to make the journeys for millions of commuters and leisure travellers alike as stress free as possible, in particular, those with mobility and invisible disabilities. Although this year’s judging process was carried out virtually, I was grateful that my “younger” perspectives were valued and appreciated by my colleagues throughout the different sessions and I had much to learn from their experiences too! Like many in the industry, I enjoyed the virtual awards ceremony very much, however I do hope next year’s awards will be back in person, when I can work with all the judges again and celebrate the brilliant work that we all do as an industry!

Since 2017, the YRP judges have been included on the NRA judging panels, often presenting different ideas which provide fresh perspectives and I feel increasing our representation has been an exciting prospect for Awards. For us, it has been a valuable experience that will help us in our careers in rail, but also brought further collaboration and networking opportunities.

The event adhered to covid-secure guidance at all times, with participants adhering to social distancing and wearing masks and gloves where required. In total, Fifteen bags of litter – including a newspaper dating back to the mid-1990s – were recovered as part of the total effort. The affected compound saw its weeds and overgrown plants trimmed from chest-height to ground level. All litter and foliage collected will now be collected and disposed of in an environmentally-conscious way by Network Rail’s Manchester Delivery Unit.

The event also served as proof of concept which will pave the way for future collaborations between YRP NW and local community rail groups. Once the current pandemic is under control, members in the North West can expect opportunities like this to become available to them, too. YRP NW Community Rail Engagement Manager, Pete Simons, said that “Events like these are an absolute win-win for everybody involved. For our members, it’s a chance to get out in the fresh air and do their bit to give back to the communities who are the lifeblood of our railways, but they also get the chance to meet new people and form the sort of bonds which are only possible through working a day’s graft together. For the community groups on the receiving end of our volunteering, the energy which 15-20 energetic young volunteers can bring to a community can bring a good and proper ‘steamroller’ effect to their community effort in terms of getting things done, especially where the effort is run by a smaller group of volunteers or a lone husband & wife as is sometimes the case. We’re only just getting started in terms of building relationships with groups and projects, but we’ve already got 3 or 4 interested parties who we’re looking forward to help out as soon as we’re able to. Watch this space!”

Alderley Edge in Bloom were grateful for the efforts from YRP NW, and will use this momentum to help their efforts towards their 2021 Britain in Bloom entry. For the team on the ground on the day, friendships were formed, bonds were strengthened, and a good time was had by all.”

Thanks to our Community Engagement Manager, Peter Simons for the article.