Benjamin Cowdell

Said the following about Network Operations People Development Team:

“I would like to nominate the Network Operations People Development Team for the following reasons:

The People Development Team work with vigour to allow all individuals that are part of Network Operations to find their feet working in the critically important world of the rail industry and as part of a team who combined push each other to exceed expectations and provide a high quality rail service day-by-day, whatever challenges they might face.

The People Development Team, and especially my line manager Tim McCarthy (People Development Manager), assist new starters including myself to learn and eventually play a part within the multidimensional sphere of Network Operations, and this in turn supports everyone in every location of our network to play a part in delivering one of the most complex passenger operations ever seen in this country. I have been fully welcomed into the company and the rail industry. My line manager and the rest of the People Development team are an inspiration to me and the rest of the Network Operations staff to be the best that they can be at work.

In an ever-changing world of railway operations, the People Development team adapt and overcome to various technical and people management challenges. This includes finding the time in a tight roster for staff to attend a multitude of quality training courses that allow them to mature as a person working to deliver a strategically important rail service and in turn manage their performance and the performance of the team as a whole. Nina Pretorius (Operational Training Manager) creates and transfers numerous assessments which maintain the high competency standards required for Network Operations, on top of day-to-day performance analysis, whilst Danielle Burton (Training and Development Manager) inspires and motivates the team to provide feedback on how everyone can improve their performance and instigates positive change to the way we respond to incidents.

Tim never has “no” for an answer. He is always using his experience and initiative to find ways and create opportunities for everyone, including myself, to shine as a person working in the rail industry and in turn develop and become valuable to the role and the company. He expertly organises the large training plan for all staff, taking account of individual foibles and characteristics to maximise their strengths and improve where necessary the skills and knowledge necessary to the strenuous tasks of train service and customer experience managing.

The level of wellbeing and general support given to all remains consistently excellent at all times, with no problem being too large to handle. On top of the day-to-day organising of training courses and maintenance of competency standards, the successful implementation of health and wellbeing days have sought to transform the outlook of the Network Operations team to be healthier and more active in their roles. Tim has taken charge of and led a successful all-encompassing conversion in the thoughts and bodies of the staff which in turn create positive changes to the way they work.

This team’s strength is that they recognise potential in all people, even those who may not even see it themselves. I believe their great efforts should be commended as they are proud and upstanding examples of instigators of positive change and raising the standards in GTR Control to that of the highest quality.“