Proceedings 2002/2003 - IRSE

100
NINETIETH ANNUAL REPORT
• an Employers Training Manual and a Trainee
Workbook that would enable the collection of
evidence towards National Occupational
Standards, IRSE Licences and Engineering
Council Registration;
• a training association where employers could
support each others training schemes by
offering training placements on a reciprocal
basis to cover aspects of training outside of an
individual organisation's scope.
As a result, Richard Hobby was recruited on a
year’s contract, and Penny Pringle on a temporary
basis, to support the following projects that have
been jointly funded by the SRA and industry this
year:
• Career Route Map and ‘Getting Started’
Leaflet
Both these documents are now complete and in
wide circulation. The Career Route Map has been
well accepted and has been promoted throughout
the industry and through several academic institutions.
Over 80 participants at the IRSE Careers
Conference received copies in their delegate
packs. Copies of both of the above may be
obtained from the IRSE website. A colour poster of
the Career Route Map is also available from the
IRSE Head Office Training & Development team.
• Careers Conference June 2002
Over a hundred people attended the 2002
Training & Development Conference that was
aimed at promoting Careers in Railway Signalling
and Telecommunications. Andrew McNaughton,
Chief Engineer of Railtrack, and Keith Beattie,
Chief Engineer of LUL, jointly chaired the conference.
Invitations were sent out to colleges,
careers services and learning and skills councils as
well as industry and IRSE members and a good
mixture of delegates participated.
The Council’s thanks go to all those who helped
to make this conference such a success, and to
the sponsors of the conference, the SRA, Railtrack,
LUL and Amey Rail.
• Technician Training Scheme
Participants at the Modern Apprenticeship
Workshop last year agreed that a common training
scheme that fulfilled the requirements of industry
for basic level designers and testers as well as
advanced installers and maintainers should be
produced. After much discussion it became
apparent that the academic requirements for
EngTech registration are above those currently
required for many of the Modern Apprenticeship
Schemes in operation, either at Foundation or
Advanced Level. What was needed was an intermediate
training scheme that lay somewhere in
between the Advanced Modern Apprenticeship
and a graduate training scheme. A working party
has been formed with representation from a wide
range of railway S&T employers. The output will
take the form of an employer’s manual and an
employee’s logbook, both on CD-ROM, which it is
planned to have available for use by the
September 2003 intake of trainees. It is expected
that the IRSE’s Training & Development
Department will provide ongoing support for
implementation.
• BTEC Railway Signalling Units
The two BTEC units completed last year (Unit 26
Introduction to Railway Signalling and Unit 27
Railway Signalling Applications) are now part of the
new BTEC National Certificate in Operations and
Maintenance Engineering. Full details of the units
can be found on the EdExcel website. The units
may also be imported for use with a BTEC National
Certificate in Electrical/Electronic Engineering,
Manufacturing Engineering or other relevant BTEC
course. A working party comprising of key players
within the signalling industry and lecturers from
academic institutions already offering these
modules to students has been established and a
project is underway to provide a resource pack for
those teaching these units. The resource pack will
take the form of a CD-ROM and will comprise
detailed information that supports the syllabus and
suggested assignments for the students to
undertake. The product is scheduled for release in
early August 2003 and thus will be available in time
for the start of the new academic year. It is hoped
that suitably qualified members will used the
resource pack as an opportunity to show their
commitment to the IRSE Continuing Professional
Development policy by supporting the learning
and development of others at their local colleges
by offering to lecture on a part-time or visiting
basis.
• Accreditation Service
The IRSE is applying to the Engineering Council
(UK) for a licence to accredit or approve both
academic courses and Initial Professional
Development schemes. Many of the policies and
procedures stipulated as a requirement by the
Engineering Council are being put into place and
by mid-2003 we hope to see the first batch of IRSE
accredited courses. This work has been received
well by the SRA and IRSE accreditation is now
expected as the industry standard for S&T.
• IRSE Examination Student Resource Pack
This year has also seen the start up of a project
to enhance the student support materials that are
available for the IRSE Professional Examinations.
With the ever-increasing numbers of students
taking the exams it has become apparent that
there are a limited number of educational
resources that students taking the examinations
can refer to for learning and revision purposes.
Again a working party has been formed with
representation from many key people within the
industry to ensure that the product will meet
students’ needs. The product, which is due to take
the form of a CD-ROM, is expected to be available
for the 2004 study groups.
Future further external funding for IRSE training
and development activities is likely to be dependent
upon the formation of the National Rail Academy and
a Rail Sector Skills Council, to which we have offered
our full support.