Rail Industry

Name: Rebecca Bedford

Rank on Exit: Full Corporal

Years of Service: 7 Years

Qualifications Gained: BTEC National Certificate

Having served in the REME for seven years, specialising as an electronic technician and achieving the rank of Full Corporal, Rebecca Bedford, 24, left the Forces in 2008 seeking to ‘branch out into a different industry’, broaden her horizons, and settle down and spend more time with her family – especially her little girl. As well as cultivating her confidence and encouraging her to take part in sporting activities, her time in uniform furnished her with useful skills in leadership and communication, as well as a BTEC National Certificate, NVQ level 3 and Advanced Modern Apprenticeship.

Having joined the Forces straight from school, she found her CTW particularly useful, especially in terms of practical skills like CV writing. As part of her resettlement she took a 16th Edition Electrics course at Newcastle College, which she found ‘very well run and useful’. Within five weeks of leaving, she had found her first (and current) job via a recruitment agency and submitting her CV to an online job site.
She works as an electrician at Neville Hill train depot in Leeds, part of Northern Rail. Her work is ‘multi-skilled – mechanical and electrical – on a modifications team, currently overhauling 144 fleet, doing mods on trains throughout the depot, as well as commissioning and installing equipment.

‘I have learned a lot,’ she says, ‘and am still learning every day. With mods, every day is different – it’s not just routine – and I am learning about different train systems. It’s not as close-knit here as in the Forces, but there is still good team spirit. In the Army I could have been away from home for up to six months at a time, but now I can plan ahead and take time off, and I have a more stable environment for my family.’

Published August 2010

Name: Gareth Rothwell

Rank on Exit: Sergent

Years of Service: 18 Years

Qualifications Gained: NVQ level 3 Man Management

In October 2005, after more than 18 years’ Service, Sergeant Gareth Rothwell left the Army, having served with the REME and the RAMC. While serving in locations including Bosnia, Kosovo and the UK, he gained experience of ‘managing staff at various levels and developing courses’. While in uniform he gained qualifications including an NVQ level 3 in Man Management (NEBS) and Manual Handling Trainer.

The Career Transition Workshop he attended ‘helped me to develop my CV and convert my experience into civilian language’. He also took resettlement training courses in ‘Facilities Management (BIFM Part 1), IOSH Managing Safely, and used my ELC for the C&G 7302 Trainers Course, and First Aid Instructor and Assessor. The FM course was very intense and taught me basic business skills, as well as helping me realise that the skills I had gained in the Forces could be converted to a civilian role.’

Now working as health and safety trainer, facilities manager, IT manager, and health and safety manager for Aspire Rail based in Crewe, he found the job himself, using the internet. His main role is ‘to train all staff in health and safety, including first aid, manual handling, fire awareness, and IOSH Managing and Working Safely. I also train for external companies around the UK, and oversee all facilities management, health and safety, and IT issues at the depot.’

Thinking about how his job compares with Service life, he comments, ‘I manage my dayto- day activities the same as I did in the Forces; this helps me to prioritise my workload. My biggest plus is the years I spent training in the Forces: I have the confidence to train at any level, from track men to directors of large companies, and deliver a professional course.’ He concludes: ‘I found the Forces a way of life rather than a job: it is with you 24 hours a day. My new role is slightly different – I still do a lot of travelling, but the hotels are better! And I find I look forward to my work, like I used to in the Forces.’

Published November 09

Name: Richard Lungmuss

Rank on Exit: Colonel

Years of Service: 22 Years

Qualifications Gained: Prince 2 Practitioner Training

Royal Artillery Lieutenant Colonel Richard Lungmuss left the Army in 1999 after a 22-year career spent in the Great Britain, Germany, Northern Ireland and Oman; which included operations in Bosnia and service with 3 Commando Brigade. Leaving due to a ‘lack of career opportunities’, he values skills developed during his service which include ‘people management; standards of behaviour and performance; the ability to deliver to time, cost and quality; planning; and confidence.’

Resettlement included ‘well run and useful PRINCE 2 Practitioner training with SPOCE in Bournemouth as prequel to APM membership,’ before finding his first job through networking. Initially appointed as project mentor, he was quickly promoted to director, delivering an IT project for Lufthansa in Frankfurt.

Now aged 53, Lungmuss has been Territory Maintenance Director Scotland for Network Rail for two years, responsible ‘for maintenance of Scotland’s rail infrastructure, including safety of the line.’ He has 1,700 staff, a £100 million and an annual budget of £100M, enjoying ‘leading and managing people, having direct responsibility for deliverables, and the ability to influence how successful we are.

‘Working in a unionised environment means that staff often have to be persuaded of a course of action rather than ordered to take it. The quality and training of staff is more varied,’ but he reports that ‘the pay is far better.’

Published February 08

Rail Industry - Case Studies