Recruitment
“"The dynamic duo of Basford Hall!!"
Mentors play a vital role in the route to competence for our Groundstaff. New trainees spend time in our training centre learning the principles of shunting, train preparation, and examination before returning to their home location to continue their learning ready for their final assessment.
Each new trainee is allocated a mentor who is responsible for ensuring they put the “theory into practice”. Mentoring is a role that is often undervalued but without mentors, we would not be able to turn trainees into Groundstaff. Mentoring can also be stressful because as a Mentor, you are responsible for your own work as well as your Mentee.
At Basford Hall, the largest freight yard in the UK we now have 2 excellent mentors who are helping to turn trainees into professional Groundstaff. In late 2021 we were short of Groundstaff in the Yard and I approached Antony and Robert and asked them if they would like to become mentors. At first, they were cautious, realising the responsibility they had to ensure their mentees learned everything they needed to know, but with support and encouragement, they agreed and so they went on the company mentor training scheme, qualifying in April 2022
Since starting they have mentored 5 members of staff who are all now members of the Heavy Haul team at Crewe. During this time, Antony and Robert’s confidence has grown to the point where they are eagerly awaiting the next output from our training centre.
Without their hard work, we would be suffering a shortage of staff in the yard which is a key part of the Network Rail supply chain organisation
They understood how important it was to have sufficient competent staff in the Yard
As their manager said “They both were able to look at the bigger picture and see where we needed to be at Crewe. They take pride in their Mentees and are there for them professionally and personally. They have both embraced this extra responsibility and I personally am very proud of the pair of them”
With two more Mentees beginning in October, once qualified, Crewe will finally be up to full complement due in no small part to the hard work of Antony and Robert, the Dynamic Duo!!
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Ralph Wilson, Operations Support Manager“
“As always, the RailStaff Awards was a brilliant occasion to come together with different organisations from across the industry, to witness how the sector celebrates its people and the vital work its unsung heroes do on a daily basis.”
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