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Friday 15 Jul 2016

Essex school children get a taster of 40 years in the railway industry during career talks

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One of Network Rail’s most experienced rail engineers gave children from Maple Grove primary school in Pitsea, Essex, an insight into 40 years in the railway industry yesterday (Thursday, 14 July).

The session was part of the school’s business week, which aims to help children understand what skills and qualifications they might need for a variety of careers.

Bob Hazell, a programme manager from Network Rail, spoke about the wide variety of jobs in an industry which needs designers, planners, project managers and engineers as well as roles in human resources, marketing, digital and finance sectors.

In a career that spans 40 years, Bob has had a variety of roles including managing the maintenance and renewal of the track throughout the South East and maintaining infrastructure, such as bridges and tunnels, on the lines into London Liverpool Street and Fenchurch Street stations.

Bob was able to share his local knowledge of the area, having been involved in the installation of a new railway junction at Pitsea in 1980, less than a mile from the school, which enabled trains to travel faster, meaning shorter journey times for all the people who use the line from Shoeburyness to London Fenchurch Street.

Britain’s railways are the fastest growing in Europe and passenger numbers have more than doubled, and are continuing to grow since then.

The need to support this growth by creating a bigger and better railway is all part of Network Rail’s Railway Upgrade Plan, which creates a wealth of opportunities for young people to start a career in a wide variety of roles in the sector.

Bob said: “While some young children won’t have a definite career in mind, it’s important to get them thinking about it early and to help them understand what sort of skills they might need for the future. I hope that the children are inspired by the wide range of jobs that are available in the railway industry and the opportunities it offers to be part of an industry that has such a vital role in Britain’s economic success.”

Sasha Furze, head teacher at Maple Grove primary school, said: “We are so pleased that Network Rail agreed to be part of our school's Business Week. The aim for our week is to raise the aspirations of Basildon children and to introduce them to a variety of careers. We also aim to instil in them the skills and qualities you may need to survive in the world of work, such as resilience, commitment and social skills as well as a good grounding in English and Maths.”