Education and qualifications
Track Engineering Diploma, Permanent Way Institution
Foundation Degree in Railway Engineering, Sheffield Hallam University, UK
Mechanical Engineering Diploma, IPSIA Moretto college, Italy

Job title:
Track Design Engineer

Employer:
Transport for London (TfL)

What inspired you to become an engineer or pointed you towards an engineering career?
As a child I was always curious about how things worked. I always took toys apart to see the mechanical components inside and to figure out how they work. When I was in school, I was very good at maths and problem solving and from there I decided that the engineering field would be good for me, so I enrolled in an engineering college.

Please describe your role or position within your workplace.
I support the Design team to complete the track design, design integration, compliance management and construction activities. I do design reviews to ensure that each design is delivered according to the programme and the output is compliant with the defined scope and applicable standards. An element of my job is also to identify potential issues and complex problems in order to resolve them at an early stage of the design process.

Can you describe a typical working day?
My typical workload varies every day. Some days I have meetings all day with colleagues from other disciplines to discuss project progression and any issues identified. Other days I am engrossed in producing the detailed track design work, calculations, reports and drawings. Therefore, it’s important for me to plan and prioritise the different projects that I work on.

Are there any particular challenges or unusual aspects to your role?
As a Track Design Engineer, the safety of passengers is always the first priority. Therefore, I have to eliminate, reduce or manage the risk through early design processes and decisions to keep our railway safe and reliable. This can sometimes be a challenge!

What do you find most enjoyable about your job?
The most enjoyable thing about my job is working on the high-profile projects like High Speed 2 (HS2), the Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) and now working for Transport for London (TfL). I am involved in designing the future of the railway which will contribute the environment, economy and sustainability.

Is there a great professional achievement or high-profile accomplishment that you would like to tell us about?
For me, becoming a professionally registered Incorporated Engineer (IEng) with the Engineering Council through the Permanent Way Institution (PWI) is a great professional achievement. This gave me an opportunity to showcase my skills and achieve a professional registration title that is recognised all over the world. I also won the Safe by Design competition with my previous employer.

What contributed to your decision to become professionally registered?
Professionally registered engineers are very well recognised in the industry. It opens lot of opportunities for career progression. It is an achievement that I know I can always fall back on and be proud of.

In what ways has registration benefitted your career?
The post-nominals are well respected and demonstrate my level of skills, knowledge and understanding within the profession. As I said, it opens a lot of opportunities and career progression.

How does your employer benefit from your professional registration?
I demonstrated both my commitment to professional standards, and to developing and enhancing my competence. My title proves that I have a positive attitude and the drive to succeed within my profession. Having the technical knowledge, I work responsibly in a way that contributes to a sustainable environment.

Is there any advice you would pass on to someone considering professional registration?
I would encourage young professionals to apply as it is a great way to be recognised professionally, stand out and shine in the engineering industry!

Where do you see yourself in your career in five years’ time or what are your future ambitions?
I am working towards becoming a Senior Engineer, which will need a combination of technical expertise and managerial skills. My long-term aim is to work towards becoming a Chartered Engineer (CEng).

Outside work, is there any activity you enjoy doing in your spare time that relates to engineering? For example, do you participate in mentoring, volunteering or membership of other engineering groups?
I am supporting my Thames Valley section of the PWI. I recently gave a Safe by Design presentation to the Young Professional Engineering forums in the hope that it inspires others to apply for professional registration. In my workplace I am always encouraging and helping other engineers who seek career development and professional registration.