TRAIN’D UP HONOURS TEAM PLAYERS

Train’d Up is proud to sponsor this years’ ‘Rail Team of the Year’ award, recognising the amazing teamwork that goes on every day in the UK rail industry.

In a national industry, built on and driven by effective communication, great teamworking is an essential component. Effective teams are formed by highly skilled individuals, displaying collaboration, competency, and leadership skills, in addition to being subject area specialists. Research shows that collaborative problem-solving leads to better outcomes, with staff more likely to think ‘out of the box’ and be innovative when supported by a team. Working in a team also encourages personal development, increases job satisfaction, and reduces stress.

The Rail Team of the Year Award gives nominators broad scope, with few restrictions on what role that team has in ‘real’ life. Two recruiters, ten train cleaners, or 20 timetable planners all are valid entries, as is a group of workers who come together to help the wider community.

The 2022 Award went to a group of amazing volunteers who stepped up to act in the face of tragedy. UK Rail for Ukraine, a crossindustry initiative set up by volunteers, was mobilised to despatch muchneeded aid items to help Ukrainian citizens after the country was invaded in February 2022.

The idea of an aid train for Ukrainian citizens was suggested on LinkedIn, leading hundreds of volunteers and supporters to come forward. A team was quickly formed and started to contact charities and other organisations to share the idea and seek guidance on what could be most useful to people in Ukraine.

Each partner organisation and individual stepped up, juggling their day job, and donations were sourced from organisations across the country.

Moving all the donated items, loading containers, producing all the documentation required, and planning the journey took many hours of volunteers’ time, and significant support from rail industry organisations and government teams.

The UK Rail for Ukraine train was waved off from

London on 7 April.

Since Train’d Up was formed in 2003, the company has fast become a nationally recognised centre of excellence for innovative training and development solutions, and a leading national provider of apprenticeships and work-based learning solutions to the rail and engineering sectors. With five locations strategically located throughout England and Scotland (Bridge of Allan near Stirling, Newcastle, Manchester, Birmingham, and London), Train’d Up is well placed to meet the needs of the rail industry nationally.

For further information on Train’d Up’s services, please visit www.traindup.org or call 0330 058 8300.