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Apprenticeships and Foundation Degrees |
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Courses and Careers Guide discusses the career development of a Network Rail Signal Engineer Damian Westerman and concentrates on the vocational route to an engineering qualification |
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| Network Rail and its industry partners are about to introduce a foundation degree in railway engineering. This steep change in how the industry develops its employees is not the first opportunity that Network Rail has provided for vocational qualifications, and their popularity with both the company and the individual is clear. | |||||
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Damian Westerman joined the company in September 2001 as a trainee signal engineer and his development, both academically and practically, has been significant. He is currently studying for a HNC in electronic engineering as well as an NVQ in performing engineering operations and has been named the Engineering Employers Federation Apprentice of the Year for the past two years. |
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"The main benefit of the vocational path I have taken is that it gives me the opportunity to gain real experience in a working environment whilst sitting my engineering qualifications at the same time." Says Westerman. And that in essence is the attraction of vocational qualifications. |
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They produce qualified engineers who have the hands-on practical experience that can only be gained from actually doing the job. Having gained significant experience in a range of railway engineering disciplines, Westerman decided he wanted to specialise in design and is currently on a work placement at Lloyds Register Rail in Reading. Eight week placements are an integral part of the training programme and this latest stint in a design office follows previous design experience as well as maintenance, installation and management placements. |
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Signal engineering is just one of the industry routes available to people as a vocational career and includes disciplines such as track maintenance, renewals, structural and telecoms. Entrants can then plan their career path within their chosen disciplines.. "The programme can be moulded around your interests and the route that you want to follow," adds Westerman. The range of vocational qualifications now available means there is a viable alternative for people who do not want to undertake a full time university degree. |  |
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A structured training programme gives entrants the chance to develop a career whilst at the same time providing a route to professional engineering qualifications. With the introduction this year of the Foundation Degree prospective entrants have even greater choice and flexibility. "I would most certainly recommend the vocational qualification route to anybody. I am working towards recognized professional qualifications. At the same time as I am actually doing the job I am learning about it. I find that the best way to understand a subject is by working on it for real. And I am getting paid to learn". |
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| Career Paths for Proffessional Engineers | |||||
| There are a number of potential career paths listed below for professional engineers cross the rail industry. These careers paths are available at Network Rail and also a wide range of supporting organisations such as rail operators, suppliers, consultants and contractors. | |||||
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For more about Network Rail visit www.networkrail.co.uk For more information on Foundation Degrees visit www.foundationdegree.org.uk/ Nigel Ward |
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