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iRail 2011


The second iRail was a fantastic success. RTM was there and brings you full coverage from the showcase event over the following pages.


T


he best the industry has to offer went on show at an innovative conference


aimed at attracting bright new talent onto the railways.


Some of the most senior figures in the in- dustry nationally and the East Midlands region gathered in Derby for iRail 2011, alongside large groups of school pupils and college students eager to learn more about rail, engineering and innovation.


The event was housed, like last year, in a very appropriate setting – The Roundhouse, a former rail engine shed now converted into a flagship educational complex as part of Derby College.


The school pupils represented the winning teams from each school that participated in a STEM Day delivered by the Smallpeice Trust, where groups of pupils competed against each other building models to solve an engineering challenge. Pupils on engi- neering courses at Derby College also par- ticipated on the day.


Attendees heard from speakers includ- ing music mogul and rail advocate Pete Waterman, chief operating officer of rolling stock company Angel Trains, Tim Dugher, National Skills Academy for Railway Engineering (NSARE) chief executive Gil Howarth, Young Railway Professionals chairman Rob Mullen and Network Rail area general manager Steve Ray.


Businesses and organisations like the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, RAIB, Plasser, Sydac and Atkins showcased the innovative new technology being used in the industry and what a career in rail could offer.


The iRail event and associated STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) Days at schools happen thanks to hard work from lots of organisations, including Transport iNet, the Derby and Derbyshire Rail Forum, NSARE, the Smallpeice Trust, the Lloyd’s Register Educational Trust and others.


The winning school on the day, the George 48 | rail technology magazine Feb/Mar 11


Spencer Academy, was an all-girl team – which did not go unnoticed by Waterman, who joked to the boys that their grandfa- thers would be “turning in their graves” to see them all being beaten by girls. They will now go on to the regional heats of science and engineering challenge event The Big Bang.


John Frodsham, chief executive of the Transport iNet at Loughborough University, told RTM: “I think it’s gone absolutely su- perbly. It’s the best value day for everyone’s efforts in terms of getting young people en- thused and opening their eyes to a potential career not just in the rail industry but in en- gineering in general.


“It’s the kind of thing that’s not done well by engineers in general, selling themselves, engaging with schools at the right age, so it was good to see it such a success.


“It involved a huge amount of planning – a dozen people on a dozen occasions from a number of organisations. Last year’s expe- rience gave us a road map, and the result shows.”


But it is time for the industry to take the lead, Frodsham said, who admitted that thanks to funding issues he couldn’t com- pletely guarantee that iRail 2012 would happen.


He said: “This year the iNet has effectively funded the whole thing and we’re now at the point where the industry needs to look at ways of contributing to cover the costs of at least the day, maybe by bringing indus- trial partners into it.


“For the schools activity, I’m sure the fund- ing is there through the STEM route and NSARE, and there’s sufficient interest now from a number of large organisations that I’m sure it will be here next year. The iNet will be here next year, but it’s time for us to take a smaller part – financially at least – although we’re determined to still take part.


“It’s a question of getting three or four of the right people from the right industry trade organisations together. We’re not talking about huge sums of money for a day like this, considering the long-term benefits.”


Frodsham, a former noise and vibration engineer with Rover, who has since worked in product development and consultancy before coming to the iNet, is also in favour of industry backing schemes like sandwich courses.


He explained: “As a route into engineering, be it aerospace, rail, automotive or marine, having that type of path gives young people a huge breadth of experience in a short time.


“It’s not clear to me how that’s done in the rail industry – maybe in one or two of the larger companies, but not the industry as a whole. It was 30 years ago when I did it; why not now?


“We have the opportunity to do something to get youngsters interested and we need to take it.”


FOR MORE INFORMATION Visit www.eminnovation.org.uk/transport


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