Get ahead with your continuing professional development.
New Year’s resolutions are the perfect opportunity to start making changes and set achievable goals for the year ahead.
Our 2021 continuing professional development (CPD) audit by the PWI Professional Development Committee found that some CPD records were completed in a rush. So, why not make it your New Year’s resolution to keep your CPD records up to date as the year progresses?
What follows is a list of ways the PWI can support your continuing professional development, and pieces of advice for planning and recording your CPD activities.
Make a personal development plan (PDP)
The key to a great PDP is effectively identifying your personal and professional goals. Once you’ve identified your goals, set out the actions you will need to take to achieve them, and a date by which to complete them. It is recommended that you complete at least 30 hours of CPD each year, so aim to do – and record - something every month! And don’t forget to refer back to your PDP as you complete you CPD activities.
Join our Lunch and Learn sessions
Launched on 18 January, our virtual Lunch & Learn programme welcomes a series of presentations from industry experts that offer you a unique insight into different aspects of the rail sector. Upcoming sessions will explore the Bristol East Project, CIRAS, Network Rail and RSSB’s sustainability policies, and more.
Read the PWI Journal
Our latest Journal is on its way to members! The quarterly PWI Journal explores the latest industry topics through an exciting range of technical articles from experts, engineers, and academics. From electrification and high-speed rail to sustainability and safety, the PWI Journal documents and unites thought leadership directly impacting the rail industry.
Head to a PWI Technical Seminar
Join like-minded professionals from across the rail industry at our technical seminars, to hear from experts on the most relevant industry topics. In 2022, our seminar programme will examine climate change and decarbonisation, electrification, safety, and sustainable infrastructure.
Grow your skills
Delivered by industry experts, the PWI has been providing high level technical training for engineers and rail professionals operating at all levels for over 100 years. Our courses are designed to develop skills and knowledge in all aspects of rail infrastructure repairs, renewals and projects.
Attend monthly Section meetings
Section meetings are a great opportunity to network, and feature presentations on various railway engineering topics by industry experts both virtually and in person. Take a look at our events calendar to see the full programme, and remember, all our virtual meetings are recorded and can be watched back at a time that suits you.
Reflect
After completing an activity, it is important you evaluate and reflect on your learning outcomes and establish if you have achieved your original objective. Think about the progress you’ve made, and how each activity has impacted your goal. Most importantly, in your records, describe how completing an activity has changed or will affect your behaviour going forward
Recent activities
West Somerset Railway joins the PWI
We are thrilled to welcome the West Somerset Railway, to the PWI, as a heritage railway member. A true country branch line of the old Great Western Railway which is full of fascination whether you are looking for a nostalgic ride back in time through lovely countryside or to study the railway and industrial heritage which this line preserves. The historic steam locomotives, coaches and wagons, and ten unique stations linked by a twenty mile scenic journey will repay hours of exploration.
Nick Millington meets Francis Bourgeouis
In his day job at Network Rail PWI President Nick Millington was joined in Derby by Francis Bourgeois (trainspotter and social media personality) and his friends. Nick showed them around the fleet, and spoke to them about their work promoting the rail industry across social media. Francis has been studying Mechanical Engineering and Nick had the opportunity to discuss the PWI’s professional development pathways through to Chartered Engineer.
Meeting Section Committees and Ambassadors
We are delighted to have started the year by catching up with PWI Section Committees and PWI Ambassadors. Both meetings were fantastic opportunities for us to discuss the PWI’s aims over the next year, share ideas about how to further promote our activities, and receive feedback on the experiences of members throughout the pandemic.
Missed the deadline for professional review interviews?
Are you an IEng or CEng applicant who missed the deadline for professional review interviews in March? Don't worry, submit your application by 18 April for an interview in June!
Interviews are not mandatory for EngTech applicants.
Success shout out
In 2016, Jo Priestley heard of a new route to professional registration available through the PWI. In the same year, Jo achieved IEng and placed pursuing Chartership on her 'to do list.'
With the support of her colleagues and the PWI, Jo found the Chartership process to be straight forward. Jo has also been actively pursuing helping others to become professionally qualified, by completing training and reviewing professional submissions.
Upcoming PWI seminars
Climate emergency & decarbonisation:
The railway's response
3 March 2022 - Manchester
Climate change and the consequent requirement to both adapt and decarbonise global society is the largest and most important issue facing humanity. Engineering and engineers have a critical role to play: in defining the policies and actions necessary to avert physical and societal collapse; and in working with government, other key disciplines and industry to win the arguments so that those actions are taken with the urgency necessary.
In recent months the Permanent Way Institution has become more focused in this arena as it is of huge relevance to our community. The Manchester and Liverpool Section are therefore delighted to host a technical seminar on the subject of “Climate Emergency and Decarbonisation”.
Delegates will hear from a range of speakers, from those dealing with understanding weather patterns and the implications for the rail network, through to projects which have provided sustainable long term solutions. The industry is very much at a stage of gathering and sharing knowledge and experience on this important subject and this is a technical seminar that cannot be missed.
Manchester Conference Centre | £85 Member | £150 Non-Member | £10 Student
Sponsorship and exhibition space available; for more details contact: secretary@thepwi.org
Electrification: Delivering the business case
21 April 2022 - Glasgow
The Scottish Government has recognised the benefits of a rolling programme of electrification and Network Rail Scotland is developing those plans. Electrifying an existing railway requires the electrification system to be integrated into the broader railway system: the configuration of the traction system and its constituent parts has implications for the operation, maintenance, and performance of the railway.
The challenge facing engineers of all disciplines is to simplify the systems integration task so that it supports a rolling programme of electrification rather than impedes it. This seminar will help engineers across the railway disciplines understand the implications of converting a route to electric traction, and explore ways in which system specification, design, and implementation can support a rolling plan.
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall | £70 Member | £120 Non-Member | £10 Student
Sponsorship and exhibition space available; for more details contact: secretary@thepwi.org
Tomorrow's rail safety today
26 May 2022 - Birmingham
Attend this hybrid seminar in-person or virtually.
On our railway, the safety of those who work on the infrastructure and of the infrastructure itself are of vital importance to the delivery of a reliable railway for our passengers and freight customers. Intelligent Infrastructure - earthworks and structures, track, power, electrification, control, and train systems - integrated with diagnostic and predictive ‘decision support tools’ and coupled with smarter inspections, make for a railway where we can predict the work we need to do and proactively plan to do that work in the safest possible way.
Modern safety equipment that significantly reduces the risk of human error is now available across our network to keep infrastructure workers and trains separate and safe. Bring predictive work schedules and this safety equipment together via a simple-to-use planning and ‘Safe Work Pack’ system and deploy site safety leaders trained with the most up-to-date human factor skills, and we have tomorrow’s safety expectations today!
The conference will show how this vision can be our reality now. Delegates will be encouraged to consider how the techniques presented can be embraced and applied widely to real world operations, to keep infrastructure workers and railway infrastructure as safe as they can possibly be.
The future is here - and ready to use...
Austin Court, Birmingham | £80 Member | £150 Non-Member | £10 Student
Sponsorship and exhibition space available; for more details contact: secretary@thepwi.org
Your PWI
Your local link to our wider Institution
PWI Sections hold over 200 meetings a year on all aspects of rail infrastructure engineering throughout the UK and beyond.
Learn about rail projects, new technical developments and network with like-minded professionals.
These meetings are open to all PWI Members, so you can dip into other regions when it suits you. Non-members are also welcome to attend as a taster and will be invited to join up to our Institution if the experience was found beneficial.
Other activities for Members that are organised by local Sections include technical visits and online talks.
Pursuing your career in engineering
Professional registration is an important step in pursuing a career in engineering and it lends itself to a ready-made career path, progressing through the titles as your experience broadens and deepens.
Whatever your academic background, you can be recognised as a professional Engineer. We have different routes to registration available to facilitate this, depending on your unique circumstances.
Training delivered by industry experts
PWI training started over 100 years ago and has been providing high level technical training for engineers and professionals operating at all levels ever since.
Our courses are designed to develop skills and knowledge in all aspects of rail infrastructure repairs, renewals and projects – and can help you on your journey to professional registration.
Not only will you gain an understanding of the underlying theory, you will develop an appreciation of the real-life challenges facing engineers from our team of experienced rail infrastructure lecturers.
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