27.06.14
Getting work in signal design
Source: S Moore
I thought about applying for a job in the signal design sector of the rail industry, my qualifications are: I work for BT and have responsibility for a radio station, a telephone exchange and an external copper and fibre network. Out of interest I once designed, constructed and programmed a number of small microprocessor electronic circuits to control a set of signals on a model railway, and I have a basic understanding of signalling principles in a railway related environment.
So. I might be the sort of person you’re looking for. However, my problem is threefold:
1. I don't have an IRSE license.
2. No companies want to train anyone any more; instead they all want off the shelf, hit the ground running employees.
3. And even though it is illegal to deny someone a job on the grounds of their age, I have discovered that hitting the magical 50 suddenly makes you unemployable.
I agree with the main argument of this article: there is a wealth of experience and skill in other industries that the rail industry is not tapping into because of a lack of flexibility with its approach to recruitment. At a guess, I would imagine the HR depts are the culprits, as they have no understanding of anything other than box ticking.
Re: Signal engineering demand to outstrip supply in CP5