The RTSA has conducted a series of half day Symposiums on Professional Development to identify the characteristics of the various training and development programs currently offered within the Australian railway industry and to facilitate discussion designed to improve current training and development programs.
- Melbourne Symposiums on Professional Development at the Westin Melbourne on 19th September 2007
- Sydney Symposiums on Professional Development at the Sydney Masonic Centre on 12th February 2008
A number of issues have been highlighted during the symposium:
- Introduction of the RTSA professional development program creates an opportunity for railway professionals working in smaller organisations (which do not have a structured program) and elevates the professional standing of the entire railway industry. It is anticipated that such a
- Fragmentation of the industry has made it difficult to get a consolidated view and there is a continuing need for data to support policy and implementation;
- Proliferation of standards across the nation has fragmented the engineering effort;
- The skills shortage consists of two parts -
- A shortage of new entrants to the engineering profession, in general plus fierce competition amongst all industries for their services and
- The loss of a generation which means that gathered knowledge has largely dissipated to become pretty well irretrievable;
- benchmark development program will prepare the railway industry to cope with modern work force practices, where significant movements occur among young professionals in the early part of their career.
- It was identified during the Symposium that fragmentation within the railway industry has led to a lack of comprehensive training opportunities in various fields within railway technology and it is one of the stumbling blocks to creating well rounded railway engineers. A rotational training program, administered by an industry body, may alleviate this training difficulty and could assist in improving this requirement. The rotational graduate training program developed in Melbourne by the Rail Tram Industry Infrastructure Committee (RTIIC) was identified as a possible model for consideration.
- Some skilled professionals not previously involved in the industry, for example from the declining manufacturing industry, can be readily trained to fill gaps in the railway industry.
- Overseas staff are increasingly being employed due to the lack of trained staff within Australia.
- Improvement of the attractiveness of the industry is probably the most important requirement necessary to address the quantity and quality of the required skills.
- The Symposium also identified that railway organisations should become more proactive with promotion amongst young school leavers and early undergraduate students to encourage them to consider a career within the railway industry. The RTSA is planning to conduct presentations to first and second year undergraduates in various Universities to highlight opportunities within the railway industry.
Melbourne Symposiums on Professional Development
The participants at the Melbourne symposium represented a broad spectrum within the industry. There were several presenters outlined the different development programs offered by their particular organizations. It was apparent that all of the organizations that they represented were committed to professional development albeit utilizing slightly differing models.
Phil Gibbs described SKM’s internal professional development program and pointed out that it provided assistance to new graduates towards the attainment of professional recognition, including Chartered status. Presentation (pdf 632kb)
David Anderson from Interfleet noted similarities between the UK and Australian rail industries especially their fragmented nature. Interfleet was interested to trial the UK “Passport” scheme in Australia. David suggested that the scheme provides a mechanism through which younger staff could gain wide industry experience. Presentation (pdf 829kb)
Mal Lauder from Connell Wagner stressed the importance of a recruitment and retention program in the commercial context and the advantages that it has brought to his organization. Presentation (pdf 39kb)
Wilson Wong, a young engineer from Maunsell emphasized the importance of staff development in the context of the organizational environment. Wilson indicated that staff members at all levels within Maunsell have been assigned a mentor to assist with their professional and career development. Presentation (pdf 863 kb)
Bernard Shepherd briefly outlined the GHD graduate training program which spanned over 3 years and is open to all graduates and other staff who are involved in consulting work. Presentation (pdf 593kb)
Fran Boyle from the Department of Infrastructure, Victoria detailed the “Rail Engineering Graduate Program” which was introduced earlier this year. This 3 year rotational program is currently focused on signaling and electrical engineers. In the future the program will be rolled out to other disciplines. DOI is utilizing the graduate training program framework developed under the Rail & Tram Infrastructure Industry Committee (RTIIC). Presentation (pdf 590kb)
Graham Gosling indicated that Thiess recognizes that a career is not linear and the objective of its development programs is aimed at “Building employee capability with Thiess”. The program encourages the individual to help plan his or her career through a wide range of experiences. The Thiess training encourages a portfolio of skills including project management skills to maximize choices for individuals and the company. Presentation (pdf 579kb)
Alex Howie outlined the QR graduate program which extends throughout the first 12 months of service for newly recruited graduates. This combined with a professional development program (PDP) that spans 6 years for specific development in chosen skills. Rotation is an important part of the PDP. QR also organizes a number of specialist courses to up-skill its staff. Presentation (pdf 224kb)
Garry Whiting from the Australasian Railway Association (ARA) detailed the activities of the Rail Skills and Career Council (RSCC) which are directly aimed at effectively addressing the skills shortage within the railway industry. Presentation (pdf 540kb)
Geoff Walker (VicTrack) discussed the RTIIC and detailed the industry-based graduate training program that it has developed. This program can be applied to the full range of railway disciplines at all levels. The program relies on development through rotation and mentoring. Presentation (pdf 19kb)
Steve Dilli from Engineers Australia (EA) was the final presenter at the Melbourne symposium. He explained the details of the Professional Development Assessment Program (PDAP) that EA has developed in conjunction with RTSA for the railway industry. He also detailed the steps, including the recording and submission of Career Episode Reports (CER), towards attainment of professional recognition including Chartered status. Presentation (pdf 1.49mb)
Sydney Symposiums on Professional Development
Several presenters, representing various sectors within railway industry, participated in the second half day Professional Development Symposium in Sydney on 12 February 2008. It was evident that large and successful orgnisations within the railway industry are already participating, or are trialling, a professional development program (PDP). They regard PDP as an essential component to attract and retain high calibre professionals within their organisations. The PDP programs adopted by the majority of these organisations are linked to the Engineers Australia professional development program. Summary (pdf 69kb)
