Rail Industry - Case Studies

Scott Walker

Corporal Scott Walker left the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers in 2002, after a six-year career in which he specialised as a vehicle electrician, serving in the UK and Germany as well as on operations in Kosovo and Bosnia. Now aged 31, he values his ‘in-depth trade training in the electrical field, a positive outlook, communication skills, confidence and the ability to get the job done.’

As well as artificer development training, he qualified as a Regimental Medical Assistant 3, before taking a Career Transition Workshop followed by courses in C&G 2381 16th edition Wiring Regulations and 2391 Test/Inspect Electrical installations. The CTW provided ‘good contacts, and CV writing assistance,’ and he also trained in contract law and portable appliance testing.

The RFEA job finding service was ‘not bad for generating leads’ but Walker applied for his job from Germany through a lead on the Quest website. He originally applied for a job as an electrician, but was offered a different post after an interview. ‘They were impressed with my Service background and thought I would be better suited as a site manager or junior project manager.’

Now a technical training consultant with MTR, he develops and delivers technical training (theory and practice) in the rail industry. ‘This involves writing course material, and producing presentations to enable delivery of courses. I also assess people for workplace competences and NVQs. There is plenty of variety, and new challenges. Most of the skills in military trades and occupations are directly transferable. I have increased my salary by approximately 35%.’

Published May 07

Donovan Crowie

After six years in the Army’s Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, Lance Corporal Donovan Crowie decided to make a career change. The 25-year-old vehicle electrician and electronics technician had served in the UK, Germany, Canada, the Oman and Poland, and was reluctant to make the change of trade that faced him. With City & Guilds and BTEC qualifications in electrical and electronic engineering, as well as extensive training and experience in fault finding, he was ready to face the demands of new employment.

A ‘useful’ Career Transition Workshop led to formal electrical training at the Resettlement Training Centre, and an approach to the Regular Forces Employment Association Employment Consultant. For Crowie, this was ‘very good, and got me the job I have now.’ His first civilian job was as an Electrical & Electronics Assessor, but now works as a Rolling Stock Technician, carrying out ‘maintenance and fault finding on Siemens trains at the depot and in service.’

Fault finding and rectification is the biggest similarity that he sees between his Service job and his current employment, apart from a belief that: ‘When I finish work I really do finish. In the Army you are working 24/7.’ He now enjoys ‘shift work so I have loads of time off. I love it. And I'm earning more than I did in the Army.’

Published November 07

Richard Lungmuss

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

Mike Masson

Mike Masson, another ex-Gunner who served under Lungmuss, started his career as a 15-year old soldier, finishing as a Major after 33 years’ service. Postings in the UK and Germany included six Northern Ireland tours, the Middle East, Bosnia, Cyprus and Belize. He left ‘to pursue a civilian career before it was too late. I also wished to settle down with my family.’ He too rates employment and training in the Services as ‘excellent at all levels’, and has been able to adapt most of his skills and experience to his new career.

Taking with him qualifications in management, logistics, health & safety, and transport management, he added a two-week introduction to business studies in Bristol during resettlement. A one-week civilian attachment followed while his network, in the person of Lungmuss, contacted him to see if he was interested in working on the Lufthansa project.

Several years of project and programme management experience later, he too is working for Network Rail as project manager for the £100 million Portsmouth area infrastructure scheme. Masson is responsible ‘for the delivery of individual projects or parts of projects to time, cost and quality.’

He enjoys ‘the diversity of the railway industry and the opportunities it presents,’ but dislikes ‘the inability and failure of third parties to deliver agreed works and material to time and cost. He finds few differences between the Army and his new job, apart from finding that the ‘civilian environment is more relaxing.’

Published February 08