1. Vitality Vital Services Group Newsletter - 2012 Q1 - issue 1
Inside this issue...
Going Underground P2 Expanding
Medway Tunnel
Getting to Know You
Contract Wins
P3
P4-5
P4-5
Down Under
The Importance of Quality P7
My Working Week P7
Star Employee P8
Prince’s Trust P8
“I think 2012 is Success in Question time
going to be a very tackling railway with Vital
good year for us” cable theft Skills Training
John Nick Lawrence
Smith Jones Dobie
CEO Business Director of
Development Education &
Manager Training
Page 02 Page 03 Page 06

2. Vitality Vital Services Group - Innovative engineering solutions
In the case of Australia, one solution has
Vital eyes Australia opportunities been to build new railways and upgrade
existing lines, but this has proved difficult
By because of the skill shortages.
John Smith “Also, many of the state-owned railways
are in the same position that British Rail
found itself in during the late 1990s when
CEO the only solution was to privatise – this
Vital Services Group being after nearly half a century of minimal
infrastructure investment.
“Many of the same senior managers who
were in charge of the privatisation process
in the UK a decade or more ago have
now moved to Australia in key positions
From the top to support changes in the business
management for the forthcoming challenges
in the country’s own version of privatisation.
“This means that companies such as Vital
are now ideally placed to lend human and
It’s very important for everybody at Vital technological expertise. All those senior
to understand how our business is people from the UK were our former clients
developing, and that’s especially true for and they know the capability and value of
the many staff who perhaps work in areas using our expertise first hand.
in which they don’t get the chance to “My recent trip went very well. There are
engage with frontline operational staff. Vital moved into new territory in the last and other infrastructure projects in Western lots of initiatives that we have been involved
quarter of 2011 with the opening of its first Australia.” with in the UK that potential customers
overseas offices in Australia. in Australia are interested in talking to
It’s often difficult for everybody to CEO John Smith visited Australia in
understand whether things are improving Trading as Vital Services Group Pty Ltd, the December to see for himself how work is us about so the future looks very positive
or declining in our markets, and how company is already supplying engineering progressing. indeed.”
changes could affect them. and consultancy services to the growing
rail sector in the states of Victoria and New He said: “I think the Australian rail
community realises that there are major
Rail
Engaging with staff across the Group in South Wales.
a much more proactive manner is our challenges ahead in their industry.
The project is being led by Managing
objective for 2012, and I believe this to be
something that has been required for
Director Alan Houghton, previously Director
of Vital Rail and Vital Resources in Scotland,
With the large scale of investment there are
significant skill shortages in key areas, and
Professionals
some time. Fancy moving Down Under?
who moved to Melbourne last year. with very low unemployment and a healthy
Or know someone who does?
economy, it is a real struggle to secure the
Since Victoria Constantine has been on He said: “We are developing new business right people for the jobs. For example, if
board we have made a point of getting out in Australia which enhances and expands you’re talking about installing high-voltage Demand is high for qualified rail professionals
our reputation internationally for providing power lines and sophisticated signalling
there, meeting as many people as possible, to fill premium jobs in Australia across
innovative engineering and operational equipment you need a high level of technical
and telling them exactly how we are doing solutions to various industry sectors. the rail sector.
as a group. This brings me to this first expertise and the resource is really stretched
“From our base in Melbourne we have at present. We have hundreds of available jobs in Australia,
issue of the Vitality newsletter, which I in addition to many more which are in the pipeline.
believe will help us to continue that established ourselves in the vibrant markets “Over the last few years there has been a
in Victoria and New South Wales focussing huge world demand for minerals, especially We have specialist consultants based both
process. I hope you enjoy it, and through
initially on our rail expertise, and will iron ore and coal from China and other in the UK and Melbourne whose expertise are
it find out more about Vital. grow this business in the many planned emerging economies, with particular dedicated to recruitment in Australia.
As far as 2011 goes, I think we made infrastructure projects for these regions, and pressure being placed upon the resources of
tremendous steps forward in protecting further afield within Australia in the future. suppliers in countries such as Australia and Our consultants have a great deal of experience
our position. We’ve had to consolidate, “That growth includes opportunities for Brazil. and are able to provide the necessary support
to help UK rail professionals find the right job.
stabilise the business as a whole, and an additional office in Sydney to provide “The challenge has always been to get the
readjust to suit market conditions. support to our local operations, and in Perth minerals from mines to ports for onward E-mail: enquiries@vitalservicesgroup.com.au
for our involvement with development of rail shipment to the purchasing country.
Recruitment businesses, unless they are
in a particularly niche sector, are finding
life challenging at the moment, especially
as clients are looking for better value
Going
which is putting more pressure on the
supply chain. Adding value through the
launch of Vital Managed Services we hope
will help alleviate some of this pressure.
We think 2012 is going to be very good
Underground
for us. We’re going to see steady growth,
With
particularly in our technology business,
which is the sort of high-value operation
you want to cultivate, and we should get
Arthur
the benefits of integrating Sicura Systems O’Donnell
(our Basingstoke-based software
Operations Manager
development arm) into the Technology
Vital Technology
division. We have also reshaped our Power
business to suit current market
conditions.
Specific areas which I expect will continue
to do well in 2012 are Technology, Rail, The London branch of Vital Technology Arthur said: “A key feature of delivering the “This breadth of offering isn’t restricted to
Training and Consultancy. I’m pleased is one of the Group’s core contracting Upminster project was that Vital met depot technical or academic expertise, and if sheer
with the outlook we have, and wish you all companies for delivering a multitude of managers and union reps weekly and all staffing demands hit a peak we can call on
a very successful year ahead. projects on the London Underground. parties agreed on an activity schedule. Vital Resources. That is one of my selling
points to clients. I have got an amazing set
Arthur O’Donnell, VT’s Operations Manager, We have won variation orders on the of skilled and qualified people at my disposal
has just completed a £0.25m refit for back of this work and our commitment – real people who are known to me and
London Underground at Upminster depot to maintaining good communication lines not just information on CVs. And of course
after winning the contract on price and throughout the project is ensuring work is another group company, Vital Rail, can
quality of tender response in competition delivered within budget and on time.” assist with track-based issues.”
Editorial Credits with three other leading suppliers.
Training requirements for personnel in this
Vital Technology has also won a London
A significant aspect of the work included the sector have been transformed since the
Underground power upgrade for Enterprise
Editors upgrading of fire detection systems and the King’s Cross fire of 1987 and the resulting
in preparation for the introduction of new
Philip German installation of air monitoring at a location Fennell Report which saw the advent of
rolling stock on the Metropolitan Line.
Victoria Constantine where rolling stock (carriages) wheels are Section 12 of the Fire Precautions Act. But
reground and balanced on lathes. Arthur continued: “After impressing the developments are on-going and anybody
Stories Enterprise with our efficiency in HV performing fire protection work for London
Meridian Media/Vital Marketing Airborne contaminants in this facility make cable installations, we have progressed to Underground now has to be accredited by a
www.meridianmedia.co.uk it particularly hazardous and the company substation work. recognised organisation.
has recently installed fire call and first aid
points linked to fire panels in the Upminster “What is putting us ahead of the competition Arthur was born in Ireland but moved to
Design/Layout is delivery ability and in the rare event of Ealing in west London as a young boy, and
train shed complex.
Concept and Layout - Philip German encountering a significant technical problem now lives in nearby Teddington.
Vital Technology is also performing – perhaps with complex logic control on the
Photography DC traction operations and substation latest generation of fire panels – we can call He joined Vital after a five-year spell as a
Cath Birch ventilation works for Enterprise, a company on the expertise within the Vital Services London Underground employee during which
specialising in transport infrastructure. Group to resolve these issues. he worked closely with a senior director on
strategy.
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page 02

3. Commitment to safety - ‘We make a difference’ Vitality
and supervised the installation and provided
control and monitoring at the SCADA
‘Highly
SCADA
system.
Commended’
The tunnel sub-systems such as the
SCADA system, the PLC Control System,
at 2012 Rail System at the CCTV surveillance system, the VAID
system and the Radio rebroadcasting
system were all brought together by a brand
Business Medway new high availability gigabit fibre optic
Ethernet network infrastructure that was
Awards Tunnel
designed and installed by VT. Employing
new fibre cables installed throughout
the tunnel and ancillary buildings, Cisco
layer 2 and 3 switches are used to create
a managed network utilising Virtual Local
Area Networks (VLANs) to provide network
Vital Technology has provided a The SCADA system provided by Vital segregation between tunnel sub-systems
multi-discipline Supervisory Control and consists of a SCADA ‘client-Server’ layer such that a fault on any one sub-system
Data Acquisition (SCADA) system at the which provides the operator with the GUI cannot interfere with any of the other
Medway Tunnel under the River Medway required for tunnel operations and a PLC sub-systems.
between Strood and Chatham in Kent. control layer which handles the business
Harold Trunley, MD of Vital Technology,
logic and tunnel control activities. In the
said: “Typically up to six separate companies
This solution for Medway Council has event of SCADA failure or PLC failure, the
are involved on such a project and VT uses
drawn on the versatility of offerings from system automatically transfers to a back-up
its Project Management expertise to ensure
the specialist engineering and integration system such that no single point failure will
all sub-systems are built to specification and
companies that work together to make up interrupt tunnel operations.
delivered on time. On the Medway SCADA
Vital Services Group was highly commended Vital Technology.
The Medway Tunnel works includes replacement project, Vital was able to report
at the 2012 Rail Business Awards. The work at Medway has been a the supply and installation of 24 video directly to Medway Council while working
system replacement project in which surveillance cameras for which two closely with the council’s project manager,
Vital Rail Security (VRS) and Vital Vital Technology’s SCADA specialists, independent video wall systems were Serco.”
Technology (VT) were each recognised in the Ematics, have installed a SCADA and PLC provided in two separate geographical
The Medway Tunnel was the first immersed
Safety and Security Excellence category, by (programmable logic controller) based locations. These video streams are processed
tube tunnel to be built in England. Work was
taking two out of the four finalist places. control and monitoring system to facilitate and distributed to the video wall systems
started in 1992 and the tunnel was opened
tunnel operation. The custom developed through our Video Wall Software offering,
by the Princess Royal in 1996.
The judging panel was headed by Steve Agg, SCADA system at Medway is a Graphic DigiWall. This software is also client server
Chairman of the Institute of Logistics and User Interface (GUI) which interacts with based and has been developed in-house
Transport. Commenting on VRS’s manned a number of diverse subsystems including by Sicura Systems, another VT company.
guarding security services, the judging panel access control, lighting, ventilation, Sicura also specified and supplied analogue
said: drainage, fire systems, intruder alarms, and IP-addressable CCTV cameras which are Vital sponsors
“This appears to be a very well implemented
process of safety and primarily security
air movement, video surveillance, radio
rebroadcast system and Video Automatic
used for both standard surveillance and the
Video Automatic Incident Detection system. industry awards
Incedent Detection system (VAID).
activity that has been 100% effective to The innovative VAID system comprising
date with a large number of arrests and Making the tunnel safe by optimising 32 dedicated fixed focus cameras installed
detections.” conditions for drivers is a principal concern. by VT at strategic locations throughout
Particular attention has been paid to the the tunnel was specified, evaluated and
The business has been involved in a number tunnel lighting which is adjusted so that procured by Vital as part of the contract.
of projects across the UK in the past year, it matches ambient light at the approach
The existing and now life-expired radio
working in association with Network Rail roads to the tunnel entrances and exits in
rebroadcast system in the tunnel was also
and British Transport Police (BTP) at graduated stages so that drivers do not find
replaced as part of the contract. VT used its
locations including the Thames Valley, themselves dazzled or struggling to make out
consulting expertise to specify, evaluate and
Erewash Valley and the Chilterns. detail within the tunnel.
procure the latest offering from the industry
Nick Jones, Business Development
Manager for VRS, said: VRS is working with Network Rail and
British Transport Police (BTP) to secure this
“We are proud to have been highly
commended by the judges for our work
on cable theft prevention. Cable theft
Vital Rail 45-mile route by using qualified Security
Industry Authority (SIA) staff and fully
is a massive issue at the moment and,
working alongside Network Rail and BTP,
Security helps qualified COSS (Controllers of Site Safety) to
form teams to patrol the route in marked Vital was strongly represented at the 2011
I believe that VRS have made a significant
contribution to countering this demonstrably
tackle railway jointly-branded Network Rail/VRS vehicles.
The teams patrol the railway a number of
RailStaff Awards, at which we concluded our
first year of a major sponsorship.
dangerous and costly area of criminality on
the rail infrastructure.”
cable theft in times daily but on an irregular basis to
detect and deter dangerous or criminal
The Group sponsored the Recruiter and
Thames Valley
Human Resources Person of the Year Award,
behaviour, the priority being to stop cable which was won by New Zealander Kris
The judges also praised the work performed theft from signalling equipment. Parkin of Transport for London (Tfl). His
by Vital Technology, saying: “While the award was presented by Vital Solutions -
use of CCTV is not new, the intelligent During patrols, personnel check gates, Director, Mohammed Ajaz.
electronic analysis system and the way it fencing and infrastructure for theft, damage
has been deployed and supported [by VT] is or evidence of suspicious activities, reporting Kris is a Resourcing Manager (Trains and
commendable.” significant incidents to Network Rail Control Service Control) for TfL, and is based at
in Swindon where dedicated facilities have London Underground’s St James’s Park
Lawrence Webster, VT’s Business been made available for this exercise. headquarters in central London.
Development Director, said: “I make sure the service has the right
Close liaison between the Network Rail
people in the right places at the right time”,
control room and operational managers and
“We’re thrilled about this commendation, was his assessment of his own role, a key
VRS also means that patrol teams can be
and consider it important to have been position in one of the world’s largest urban
relied upon to help react immediately to
acknowledged as a strong contender in rail organisations.
emergency issues.
a competitive field. We will build on this
excellent industry recognition, although VRS teams and management also work 2012 will see Vital exhibit at Infrarail, and
I have to say that this has only been closely with BTP and have assisted officers also attend one or two of the major industry
possible because of the invaluable support on numerous occasions in apprehending awards dinners.
Cable theft is endemic within transport
we continue to receive from Network Rail, individuals, identifying criminal activity and
infrastructures worldwide due to soaring Mark Cooper, Vital’s Chief Operating Officer,
especially in the Midlands region. I must securing crime scenes for forensic
copper prices, and the London Assembly says: “I don’t think we have marketed the
also pay tribute to the enormous amount examination.
recently called for cash payments for scrap rail business externally in past years in
of hard work put in by all the members
metal to be outlawed. Nick Jones, Business Development Manager, the way that we should have done.
of our technical team, without which this
at Vital Rail Security, said: “There is
commendation would In August 2010 a single incident of lineside
excellent understanding between VRS and “So we decided that if we were going to do
not have been received.” cable theft on the Great Western main line
Network Rail about what each team is something in 2011 then we should do it
near Reading (within the Thames Valley area)
responsible for on the ground. We have been properly, which is why we were keen to
This was the 14th annual Rail Business caused 8,000 delay minutes to passengers
able to act as our client’s eyes and ears. The sponsor one of the top RailStaff categories.
Awards, which were attended by 700 leading and cost the industry around £1.4m.
reciprocal multi-agency approach has seen The award that we eventually sponsored
members of the UK’s rail industry and
To tackle this problem Vital Rail Security diverse information shared and acted upon ties in very well with much of our business,
suppliers. The Awards recognise excellence
(VRS) was contracted to protect Network by ourselves, Network Rail and BTP. Vital especially for Vital Rail, Vital Solutions and
in business, technology and engineering, as
Rail’s Thames Valley Area from metal theft, Rail Security is delighted to be a preferred Vital Resources, and seeing it go to such a
well as in sectors such as safety and security
vandalism and trespass in a trackside supplier within the Network Rail Framework worthy winner at TfL is entirely appropriate
both in stations and on trains.
security programme between London Agreement and to be delivering a project given the strength of the relationship that
Paddington and Cholsey in south Oxfordshire. with such demonstrable success.” the two companies enjoy”.
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page 03

4. Vitality An ethical approach – ‘We are committed’
Alun Thomas, heads a team of six VR joined the association in 2009,
01 Cardiff
full-time staff at Vital Resource’s and over the last three years has been
office in Cardiff. The team manages involved in the four main category 1
Contract Office
projects across south and
mid-Wales.
projects in south Wales, generating
around £7m in turnover.
Wins
thgisgnoL – motslA
11
Division:
Vital Resources
Cardiff-born Alun, joined Vital from a
competitor in 2003 to set up the office,
and has spent 12 years in recruitment.
This category of work is primarily
concerned with specialist staff supply
to power stations at Pembroke,
skrow detaicossa dna slaweneR kcarT Newport and Aberthaw, and to Dragon
Vital Resources’ (VR) Cardiff operation Gas, which manages natural gas
is split into three sectors: building terminals in west Wales.
services, engineering and technical
Alun recruitment. All supply and manage VR is also working on the £53m
Vital Rail Thomas specialist staff to a wide variety of evaporative cooling systems project at
projects. VR’s full-time staff cover the BOS plant in Port Talbot, and is
Branch Manager multiple disciplines including heavily involved in the £138m
Alstom – consultancy, labour management,
sales, resources and administration.
rebuilding of Port Talbot’s blast
furnace number 4, being sole local
Longsight 11 provider in a two-year agreement
Track renewals and associated works 2011 saw heavy activity on a number
with client JW Morris.
of high-profile projects within the
region. The building services and 2011 was a “surprisingly busy year,
Alstom - Oxley 10 technical divisions recently won a despite the overall state of the
Change 11 x BH timber sleepers for contract with a major M&E contractor economy”, according to Alun. “We
chaired concrete serviceable sleepers to supply white and blue collar need to continue working hard in
mechanical and electrical staff to the 2012.
£70m Ebbw Vale Learning Zone.
Network Rail Bristol office This is one of the first phases of a new “Consolidation may be the
Manned guarding: Crewe - Shrewsbury
secures work scheme to deliver 21st century name of the game as we
continue to look after our
at the new
learning in south Wales, and is based
at the former Ebbw Vale steelworks PSLs (Preferred Suppliers
Bovis Lend Lease £430m super site. Lists), and in the technical
Strathclyde Fire & Rescue division our focus will be
- rail works hospital The engineering division remains
heavily involved in Blue Book (NAECI)
on increasing the business
in the white collar sector,
work for the Engineering Construction
especially in energy and,
Industry Association, which sets
Alstom - Oxley 14 Vital Resources has secured several
long term recruitment and training
extremely tough guidelines for the
specifically, in oil and gas”.
Track renewals on 5, 6 & 7 sidings whole sector.
contracts on the new £430m 800-
bed hospital project at Southmead,
Bristol.
Alstom – Longsight 19
Plain line track renewals and They include work for white and
associated works blue collar building services staff,
and the provision of IPAF/Mobile Andy Brooks is the regional director Looking back on last year, Andy
Elevated Working Platform training. for Vital Resource in Bristol, and is Brooks commented: “It certainly
Thales at the head of a reporting structure wasn’t the gloom and doom scenario
Jubilee and Northern Line upgrade During the construction period of which encompasses staff locally as some people were predicting; in fact
(London Underground) - project this state-of-the-art development, we had a pretty good year.
provision of operatives (blue collar well as in Cardiff and Birmingham.
there will be opportunities for all Ralph Preston runs the Vital
framework) types of building and construction “Turnover was above where we
Resources’ Bristol office, which has
trades and related training. expected it to be, there was quite a lot
been operating for 15 years and
programmes. The plan is to recruit of repeat business and a number of
Alstom - Liverpool 7 85% of the workforce locally and
employs around nine full-time staff.
new clients coming on board.
Repairs this will inject investment into the About 90% of the work done in Bristol
“But don’t get me wrong; the business
local economy surrounding the site. comes under the traditional business
environment remains tough, and
areas of Mechanical and Engineering
The new hospital will be one of the many of our clients have made
Alstom - Oxley 15 most environmentally friendly of
(M&E) recruitment within building
services. Other areas covered include
significant redundancies during the
Track renewals on 5, 6, & 7 sidings its size in the country and 90% of year. The upside of that for us, of
at Oxley depot facilities management (FM) and heavy
construction and demolition waste course, is while they’ve been doing
engineering. Typical projects might be
will be reused and recycled. that it’s given us a lot of opportunities
at hospitals, schools, shopping
to add some really good staff to our
When completed in 2014 the centres, power stations, office
Tube Lines hospital will provide single sex refurbishments or hotels.
books.
Scrap clearance And looking ahead to 2012, Andy
wards and the largest number of The majority of the office’s work is
single rooms in any NHS hospital, added: “If we can match this year
generated through the local sales and
and will centralise services on one what we did in 2011 then I’ll be more
support team; some business also
than happy.
Amey site. comes from other Vital Resources
Year 5 maintenance work offices, and there has also been some “One of the biggest
It will provide specialist care to a work with Vital Rail in Swindon and potential areas of
population of 500,000, and increase Trackrail in Bude, Cornwall. There development for us in the
full-time staff from 4,650 to 6,500. is also potential for further work in future is likely to be in
future through improved integration renewable power and in
Vital Power with Vital Technology. nuclear power. In Bristol we
are close to the sites of
The biggest project in the area at
established nuclear stations
present is the four-year £450m
at Hinkley Point, Oldbury
Telehouse West – redevelopment of the Southmeads
and Berkeley, which I hope
Flagship Data Centre Hospital. Vital Resources supplies
will lead to supply and
over 50 staff to three separate
02 Bristol
Installation of a 132kV GIS sub-station, training contracts as those
contractors; this includes supplying
and associated cabling stations undergo significant
M&E operatives from semi-skilled up
refurbishment and
Enterprise Metering
Meter installation services in the
Office to supervisors and project engineers,
as well as IPAF training for supply
and client staff. The work will
re-equipping in the years
to come.”
Division:
north of England continue through 2012 and much of
Vital Resources
2013 as well.
There is also ongoing work at
universities in Devon and Cornwall,
at academies in Hampshire, at a
Andy shopping centre in Berkshire, and
Brooks with the Ministry of Defence at sites
in Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and
Regional Director Hampshire.
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page 04

5. Sustained partnering – ‘We keep our promises’ Vitality
Contract
Wins
Alstom – Longsight
11
Track Renewals and associated works
Vital Consulting
Costain Ltd
Port Talbot distributor road
01 02
Tata Steel (Europe) Ltd
03 Port Talbot service diversions
Speicapag UK Ltd
Pwllheli to Blaenau Ffestiniog
gas pipeline
Scottish Power
Crewe pipeline scheme
Getting Wales West Utilities
Ammanford gas main replacement
to know Vital Technology
you... National Grid Gas
Mobile CCTV system VT X-tend for asset
protection and combating metal theft
Network Rail - LNW
Drax
Vitality takes a need one of our staff to be on site
Two depot and Support
Engineering five trackside VT Sentry for
road trip around Paul Crompton has been with Bletchley re-signalling asset protection
Vital for more than six years to ensure that the work doesn’t
the UK to visit having joined from Bechtel for
whom he’d previously worked
infringe on the railway in any
way.
Network Rail - NW
Vital offices as an integration manager on
the Channel Tunnel Rail Link The office has also recently won a Analytical survey at five level crossings
(CTRL). contract from Dyer and Butler to
Wales
install what are known as datum
First stop: Swindon hosts two divisions: plates across the Western region.
Tube Lines
and the South Vital Rail and Vital Rail Security. These are small plates which are
The office supports five full-time fixed on trackside structures and Asset protection at Cockfosters depot
West staff, with responsibility for a
significant chunk of southern
tell maintenance crews how far
away the track is at any given
and western England. location, and its height off the
ground. Tube Lines
The office’s main day-to-day Consultancy work surveillance
activities include business Paul describes 2011 as having design services
development, contract packages been: “Steady, with room for
of works, resourcing, recruitment improvement going forward.
and payroll for the rail business,
for which a large proportion is “2012”, he continues, “should
Unilever Rosebery
focused on nationwide Chester Gates – upgrade cooling room
show greater potential for
framework contracts won by growth, especially on key projects
Vital. such as the £400m Reading
In particular, work for Network
station redevelopment project,
significant enabling works on the
Roseberys
Georgia Avenue – BMS expansion
Rail is developed locally, western end of the Crossrail
03 Swindon
and upgrade
predominantly within the project, and the proposed
Western and Wessex regions, electrification of the Western
Office
though Swindon is also Region mainline from
supporting major track renewal Paddington”. Mouchel
work for Balfour Beatty in Blackwall Tunnel
Division: Wessex and Wales, supplying On the rail security side,
Vital Rail/Vital Rail Security blue-collar specialists in areas business is again likely to be
such as track staff, crane dominated by work to counter
controllers, engineering cable and metals theft. Drax
supervisors and site safety “This continues to get Engineering support
controllers. worse and worse, and the
Paul Swindon also supports Network multi-agency solution we
Crompton Rail throughout the Western offer in conjunction with
region with asset protection by our technology division Let us know your
Regional Director
is going to be the way
supplying rail safety managers;
if, for example, a supermarket forward in many areas”. contract wins...
e-mail: marketing@vitalservicesgroup.com
chain needs to build a new store
adjacent to the railway it might
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page 05

6. Vitality Depth of expertise – ‘We go the extra mile’
Question Vitality: If they stay in the sector what sort
of things might they be doing in a few years’
Vital
time?
Time LD: This is the first step on the ladder; there
With
are lots of opportunities for them. They can
stay within the rail track engineering field, Services
Group
which is what we’ll be training them in, or they
could progress to an advanced apprenticeship.
Lawrence
Dobie That could be with us, or they may wish to
apply directly to Network Rail, and try to get invests
Director of
Education Skills
on their three-year apprentice programme.
in
Salford’s
Vital Skills Training They could then specialise in one of many
things, such as signalling, telecommunications,
future
electrification; there are lots of opportunities
for them once they’ve finished their basic
apprenticeship programme.
Vital Skills Training
has been involved in Apprentices hard at work on the rail stillage at Vital’s Training Academy, Salford.
training for the rail
sector for a number of
years, and works In My Vital Skills Training and Vital Rail played
the leading roles in helping Salford City
At the beginning of 2011, Trinity Business
Training - part of Salford City College - set
Opinion...
College achieve its aim of providing 500 local local businesses a target of providing 500
closely with some of apprenticeships in 2011. apprenticeships in the city by the end of
the biggest names in Vital Skills Training took on 60 people -
the year. All businesses in Salford looking
to develop employee skills via work-based
the industry to deliver By more than 10 % of the overall target - many
from the Salford area, and gave them a
qualifications, or wishing to recruit new staff
high-quality staff for Rob chance to train and qualify as professionals
via job-based training, were eligible
for funding within the scheme.
the railways. Clark in the rail industry.
Vital Rail felt they have to take the lead
Each apprentice will spend over one year
Trainer Assessor in bringing in the people of tomorrow and
on a certified in-house training programme,
The man responsible for delivering this is Vital Skills Training with the help of Vital Skills Training, they
and will then be offered a position with Vital
Lawrence Dobie, Director of Skills are committed to creating opportunities for
Rail, one of the biggest providers of contract
Education for Vital Skills Training. young people.
services to the rail industry.
Vitality: What is Vital Skills Training
all about?
LD: I think VST is really about providing
training solutions which fit the needs of two
groups: one is the internal Vital workforce,
Rob Clark is a Vocational
Rail Trainer Assessor. He
Local MP visits the Mill
and the other is the training needs of
external clients. oversees trainees who are
Vitality: With specific regard to the rail embarking upon a career Rt Hon Hazel Blears, MP for Salford and “It is fantastic that Vital Skills Training
Eccles, visited The Mill to find out more and Vital Rail are supporting the Salford
industry, is training more important now
than it used to be?
in railway engineering. about Vital Services Group’s commitment to 500 apprenticeship scheme. The fact that
helping young people in our local area. Vital Rail are engaging 60 apprentices, the
LD: I think, given the public eye that’s on Over the last couple of years the economic largest number so far, is a real boost for the
the railways constantly, training and safety Ms Blears spent time with CEO John Smith
climate has not been good and the railway scheme. Vital Rail has recognised and is
has always been critical, but more so now and Vital Skills Training’s Operations
industry was never going to be immune to harnessing the young talent that exists in
that every penny of public expenditure is Manager Lawrence Dobie, and learned about
that. Salford.
being so closely scrutinised. VSG’s contribution to Salford City College’s
‘Salford 500’ scheme. “The investment by Vital, Salford College
There was a noticeable drop of work in the
So the taxpayer needs to get value for money sector, and because a lot of the work is Ms Blears later featured Vital’s work as a and Trinity Business Training and
out of the infrastructure while maintaining, sub-contracted the sub-contractors were the showcase example of how business and the other companies in providing these
and indeed improving, the safety levels in first people to suffer. local community can combine to improve apprenticeships means that young people
the industry. local skills and employment prospects. Her in Salford will be able to develop their skills
The workforce, in some cases, had to be let article, appeared in the publication Labour’s in a real work environment and one which
Obviously one way of making sure safety is go, and that workforce looked for other Business. offers genuine opportunities. Vital Rail are
at the top of the agenda is through good employment. developing these apprenticeships for the
training. Ms Blears said: “I was delighted to visit Vital long-term and are showing the way for new,
Now that the economy is starting to pick up Services Group in Salford to meet John forward-looking and community-engaged
Vitality: Is safety always the first again we’re immediately finding ourselves Smith, and it was great to tour the offices businesses.”
consideration in the rail industry? short of skilled workers because people have and to meet some of the staff.
LD: It has to be. We think skills are moved on to different disciplines or
important, but real skills are achieved vocations.
through good training, and use of best Where we come in is placing a greater
practice, but always delivered in a safe way, emphasis than ever before on getting skilled
and that’s critical for the railways. workers into the rail industry and giving
Vitality: You have your first dozen them the right tools for a successful career.
apprentices from Salford City College’s Historically staff only had to sit a two-day
‘Salford 500’ programme starting at the course to become a rail worker; that only
moment. What can you tell us about them? covered the basic procedures, and there was
LD: Our first group of apprentices, all no mechanism in place to improve yourself
between 17-18 years of age, started in vocationally.
October. They’ll be the first of about What we are currently looking to achieve is
60 who’ll be joining the programme. to get our trainees to a Level 2 standard
before getting them out on to the railways
They will be employed by the Vital Rail, with and having them recognised as young
the training they need to go through their engineers.
apprenticeship programme being provided
by VST. Any other comparable industry, such as
plumbing or electrical engineering, has a
It’s a highly technical course in which they’ll vocational qualification which must go hand
learn about the underpinning principles of in hand with other competencies, whereas
engineering, railway safety, and a whole that has never been the case on the Lawrence Dobie,
range of other areas. railways, and that is what I think we are MP Hazel Blears,
now moving towards. Graham Pennington
Safety again is key; they need to learn those (Trinity Business
safety processes and procedures which they Training)
will carry with them for the rest of their and John Smith
railway careers.
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