Sara Carnduff

Said the following about Askin Alpinar:

“Graduating from the renowned engineering university, Brunel, as a Women in Engineering scholar and joining the telent graduate scheme 18 months ago, Askin has been instrumental in several high-profile, cutting-edge and, in some cases, disaster-recovery sensitive projects in both mainline rail and for Transport for London (TfL), delivering significant benefits to passengers and the whole industry. These projects include TfL’s ‘Hello London’ project with Exterion Media, estimated to generate non-fare revenues of £1.1 billion and an example of innovation and collaboration being used to improve customer experience across the industry.

Alongside her day job, Askin established the telent STEM programme, converting and training all graduates to become STEM ambassadors and engaging with over 1500 youngsters between the ages of 12 and 18. Passionate about supporting others, Askin also set up a number of graduate development initiatives. These included an enhanced QEHS programme to ensure those new to rail were aware of the importantance of safety, as well as an Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) support service, selflessly helping those colleagues working towards chartership to collate the information necessary to gain accreditation.

Askin’s first telent graduate delivery role was to support the Project Engineer on the c2c SISS renewals project. Although knowing very little about the rail industry at that point, Askin embraced the challenge and, using her initiative, worked with telent’s designers and engineers, collaborated with equipment suppliers and carried out site visits to gain an in-depth understanding of the technical requirements.

“Every challenge I have given Askin, she has taken on and proved herself very useful.” Dean Clarke, c2c SISS Senior Project Manager – telent.

While working on the c2c project, Askin took the lead on modifying prototypes, carrying out off-site testing and became the on-call technical interface with the customer, quickly building a trusted working relationship.

“Askin supported the teams / c2c out of hours and has no issues with doing this at all when required. c2c have remarked how efficient and good she is to work with and would not have even known she was a graduate if I had not mentioned it. The site teams have remarked that she is an asset.” Daniel Hall, Delivery Manager – telent.

“Askin performed brilliantly in gaining an understanding of the systems being deployed into c2c. The customer was very positive about her delivery approach during the commissioning, which has been a great contribution to telent establishing a good relationship with this new customer. Askin’s attitude to the delivery of project tasks, with the technical skills she has developed, has allowed significant value to be delivered on to the c2c SISS renewals project.” Mark Maclean, Rail Engineering Manager – telent.

“Askin has risen to the challenge of and got involved in owning the configuration and understanding for new technologies, in relation to both CIS and PA systems. She has comfortably owned problems, sorted out and resolved them.” Mark Watton, Engineering Manager – Station Systems – telent.

Alongside getting to grips with and delivering live projects, just a few months after joining telent, Askin worked with our Head of QEHS for Rail, Sean Birrane, to set up the graduate QEHS programme. Designed to be interactive, informative and aimed at new young rail professionals, the programme focused on the importance of health and safety, as well as covering the various compulsory standards and documentation required to support their transition to working in the railway industry.

Currently working on Exterion Media and TfL’s ‘Hello London’, the world’s largest outdoor advertising contract, which aims to improve customer experience and is part of TfL’s commercial plans for maximising assets to generate non-fare revenue of an estimated £1.1 billion, Askin is the Telecoms Engineer. Responsible for both project and system engineering integration for the implementation of digital advertising screens across the network, Askin is co-located with TfL part-time where she is heavily involved with detailed design, prototype development and testing. As well as ensuring the screens are fit for purpose and meet the customer’s requirements and exacting standards, there are several challenging quality and safety features which Askin is supporting, including ensuring the equipment is fire and shatter proof.

Working collaboratively with all stakeholders to address the challenges raised during the prototype development and testing, Askin has been instrumental in identifying new equipment, rectifying project and engineering intergration issues and instigating innovative installation methods, resulting in numerous efficiencies and safety benefits.

Incredibly passionate about encouraging young people to consider a career in engineering and raise awareness of the rail industry, Askin established the telent STEM programme, which involved writing a business case to gain senior level buy-in and secure funding. Once approved, together with a colleague, Askin created the training programme and material to convert all the telent graduates into STEM ambassadors, set up monthly events with local schools, colleges and universities, constructing interactive and fun activities.

As part of Rail Week 2017, Askin arranged for local students to visit telent’s labs and set up several interactive and exciting activities that enabled the teams to build their own CCTV equipment and explore cyber security. This attracted the attention of those interested in gaming and IT who had not realised the connection and career opportunities the rail industry offers.

Askin also co-ordinated the telent attendance at the national Big Bang Fair where she was a judge for the robot competition, observing, interviewing and providing constructive feedback to the teams involved.

The telent STEM programme has engaged circa 1500 youngsters between the ages of 12-18 over the last 18 months, attracting new talent, raising awareness of and making the rail industry more appealing to the younger generation.

Askin set up training and briefings for the ambassadors to prepare them for their STEM events and activities. Askin has formed many positive relationships with schools throughout the development and delivery of the STEM events and has managed to positively highlight telent.” Daniel Hall, Placement Manager – telent.

Askin is passionate about inspiring the younger generation and is currently undergoing the ‘matching’ process to become a Woman in Engineering mentor to a member of the next Master’s degree cohort at Brunel University.

“Askin is a dedicated and hardworking individual, well-liked by both her customers and colleagues. Askin’s ability is incredible and it’s hard to believe she is a graduate at times – we are privileged and proud to have Askin as part of the telent team. As a committed and collaborative telecoms engineer, successful STEM co-ordinator, an active member of Women in Engineering and the IET, Askin is an inspiration and we feel she is a worthy nominee for this year’s graduate of the year category.” Steve Dalton, Managing Director – Transport, telent.“