Proceedings 2002/2003 - IRSE

NINETIETH ANNUAL REPORT 101
Administration and Facilitation of the IRSE
Examinations
There were a record number of over 120
candidates applying to sit the IRSE exam this year in
four countries, which presented a challenging
administrative exercise. It was the first time we had
set up a centre in Thailand, as well as Hong Kong
and Australia. A number of the more ‘traditional’ UK
exam centres did not operate this year due to various
difficulties with venues. In order to provide adequate
coverage and accommodate all candidates a
number of new centres were set up in the UK:
Huddersfield to cover York and Manchester, Bristol
to cover the West, Birmingham and Watford to cover
north London. Croydon continued to cover south
London and the South-East and Glasgow our
Scottish candidates. Inevitably there were lessons to
be learned from organising an event on such a huge
scale with a 40% increase on anything that we have
seen before, but the examination generally ran very
smoothly again this year.
Support for IRSE Exam Self-Help Study Groups
The number of self-help study groups has
remained fairly constant, although the distribution
changes. As usual, many successful groups folded
when all the members passed their examinations,
and new ones formed where there was a concentration
of like-minded individuals. The T&D Department
has continued to actively support existing groups
and to facilitate the start-up of new groups where
they are needed.
Continuing Professional Development
Our policy has now been in operation for sometime
and has been built on the Engineering Council’s
requirements and the record-keeping approach
adopted by the Professional Development
Partnership (IEE, IMechE, IIE etc). The IRSE has also
continued its membership of the Engineering
Council’s Professional Development Forum.
Both CPD and the IRSE’s Professional
Development Record and Licensing Scheme Log
Books have continued to be promoted to both
organisations and individuals. Railtrack (now
Network Rail) has since included monitored CPD in
their Engineering Education Policy, which we
understand is also being taken up by the London
Underground group of companies.
The prime responsibility for CPD rests with each
member – however, the Institution recognises that
effective CPD relies on a partnership between
individuals, employers, the Institution and training
providers. Members are encouraged to take ownership
of their careers and focus and record their
professional development to:
• be better be able to recognise opportunity;
• be more aware of the trends and directions in
engineering and society;
• become increasingly effective in the workplace;
• be able to help, influence and lead others by
example;
• be confident of future employability;
• have a fulfilling and rewarding career;
• be more aware of own capabilities.
Indications are that both members and employers
are positively taking up the system and that it is seen
to be useful to the industry as a whole. Those that
have championed the system have an extensive
and useful portfolio of evidence to which they can
refer time and time again and these have been
successfully used for competence based assessments
for Engineering Council registration purposes
and for nationally recognised occupational qualifications.
Engineering Council
The T&D Manager, Karen Gould, has continued to
be actively involved with supporting our Engineering
Council Nominated Body Status. Further training
events were held during the IRSE Convention this
year in Sydney and before the members’ lunch in
June for those involved with assessing candidates
for Engineering Council registration.
AWARDS
Thorrowgood Scholarship
The Thorrowgood Scholarship is awarded
annually under a bequest of the late W J Thorrowgood
(Past President) to assist the development of a
young engineer employed in the signalling and
telecommunications field of engineering and takes
the form of an engraved medallion and a cheque for
a sum to be used to finance a study tour of railway
signalling installations or signalling manufacturing
facilities. The award is made to the Institution young
member attaining at least a pass with credit in four
modules in the Institution’s examination.
The Thorrowgood Scholar for 2001 was Mr P
Shepley, Signal Engineer at Watford with GTRM, and
he was presented with his award at the Annual
General Meeting in April 2002.
Dell Award
Under a bequest made by the late Robert Dell
(Past President) this award is made to an employee
of London Underground Ltd for achievement of a
high standard of skill in the science and application
of railway signalling. The winner of the 2002 Dell
Award was Mr G Neacy, Deputy Signal Asset
Engineer for JNP Infraco.
Wing Award for Safety
The 2002 Wing Award for Safety, commemorating
the life and work of the late Peter Wing (Fellow), was
presented to Railtrack’s nominee, Mr A Swann, at
the National Railway Engineering Safety Awards
held in Birmingham on 11th April 2002 for his
substantial contribution for over ten years to track
safety by creating memorable communications to
improve trackside safety discipline.
LICENSING
The year 2002 has been a very busy for the IRSE
Licensing Scheme. There has been a significant
increase in the number of licence applications
received, which has stretched the Scheme’s
resources. One thousand three hundred and fiftyone
new and renewed licences have been issued
and 1,423 licences have expired giving a total of