The RailStaff Awards 2024

Richard Turner

Said the following about Ken Mcallister:

“Ken has spent 50 years on the railway, and this year led his team at HMS Sultan to delivering the largest single bulk of new entrant rail technicians since the company started the scheme 15 years ago. He also delivered improvements in training that meant that Network Rail climbed the ranks as an apprentice employer into the top 50 in the country as voted by learners. In total at least 700 individual new entrant technicians received training at some point from Ken, and this was made harder due to the improvements he was trying to deliver. As manager of this busy training centre, Ken had to use leadership, diplomacy, and planning to deliver against this increasing demand. As a result, 119 new technicians will gain their Level 3 certificates this winter while many more continue to work towards their qualifications.

When faced with the increasing demand for new technicians (driven by age and the new control period), Ken called upon members of his team to plot out a new delivery programme. He delegated where required, and a number of the trainers received new skills and experiences based purely on this trust. As a result, at least 2 of these trainers will be stepping up into management positions this winter. At the same time, he also attended training steering groups to discuss how to improve the 3 year programme. His recommendations have been well-received by managers and learners alike. To counteract the changing demand, Ken made use of training contractors and tackled them appropriately when they failed to deliver or failed to deliver safely. He always maintained the highest standards. He also visited training centres around the country to educate line-managers and their technicians about the training programmes they were to embark on – all the while trying to manage the day-to-day remotely.

In preparation for certification, Ken had to liaise with the Institution for Civil Engineering (ICE). He arranged for the ICE to speak to learners at his training centre on a regular basis, making sure that they were ready for their final assessments. The first 119 will pass this winter.

As a result of all of this, the industry benefits from a steady stream of new engineers which will be critical to the long-term service we deliver to passengers. Almost 1 in every 6 apprentices across the entire transport industry (including road and air) was trained by Ken and his team this year. The improvements he delivered has helped push Network Rail into the top 50 employers in the UK as voted for by apprentices, climbing from 88th to 45th in just one year (https://www.ratemyapprenticeshipawards.co.uk/top-100/) helping us make sure that school-leavers stay interested in rail engineering for generations to come.“