Careers in the Rail Industry - Great Opportunities For Skilled Workers

Network Rail's two main activities, infrastructureahead for future expansion.
maintenance and track renewal, are providedPerhaps the major challenge the rail industry faces
in-house and by a supply-chain of contractors andis finding suitably skilled engineering and
sub-contractors. Responsibilities cover 20,000 milesconstruction staff who can help deliver a safe and
of track, 1000 signal boxes, 40,000 bridges andreliable rail network. It's an ongoing issue being at
tunnels; 18 major stations; 3m passengers a dayleast partially addressed by the development of
and 32,000 employees. Total expenditure tosignificant in-house engineering and management
operate, maintain and renew (OM&R) theskills, including funding of apprenticeship and
railway increased from under £3 billion infoundation degree schemes operated by Network
1995 to 96 to a peak of around £6.5 billionRail and many of the larger companies such as
in 2003 to 04 in the wake of the HatfieldFirst Great Western and EWS (English, Welsh and
derailment and the significant increase in activityScottish railways). Additional challenges such as
levels and unit costs. Expenditure is projected toeffectively optimizing the existing network,
be around £5 billion a year over the nextinvesting in large-scale projects, and promoting
few years.sustainable development are also being tackled
The second part of the renationalized railwayhead-on with plenty of new recruits required
system consists of Network Rail's mainWithin Network Rail, one of the train operators or
customers: the 21 passenger and four freight trainin one of the many other companies that supply
operating companies, who provide train servicesand support the industry positions within the rail
on the infrastructure that the company owns andindustry are varied, stimulating and decently paid.
maintains. Network Rail does not run passengerYou'll find pretty much any sort of position you
services directly; ultimately both Network Rail andcould imagine from civil, electrical and mechanical
the train operating companies have the sharedengineers who might deal with track and train
responsibility of delivering train services to themaintenance, signal design and implementation;
traveling public.Planners who'll maintain, plan, schedule, allocate and
Many analysts consider the prospects for the railmanage resources; QS (Quantity Surveyor);
industry to be extremely positive. UnprecedentedProject Managers; Construction; Safety; I.T. and
government investment to upgrade the UK's railCAD Design. The list is almost endless.
infrastructure, passenger numbers at their highestThere's also no shortage of administrative and rail
level for sixty years, rapidly increasing freightmanagement positions, Rail Operations
traffic and performances improving all contributeManagement for example, who are responsible
to many new and exciting opportunities forfor the operational and strategic management of
organizations and individuals involved in thecompany staff, services and infrastructure, along
industry. It's clearly accepted within the industrywith accounting, auditing, sales, marketing and
that these positive trends create new challengescommunication opportunities.
to accommodate this record growth and plan