The regular plenary session of the UIC Expertise Platform was held at Wuppertal Training Centre, Germany, on 19 and 20 June 2013.
The session was opened by Mr Tobias Lohmann, DB Training Director and Dr Bernd Kiessling, who explained DB’s training policy and structure.
Part of the meeting was dedicated to visiting the training facilities, including a best-practice session on international learning solutions, related to qualifications, concepts, methods and systems for signalling/interlocking boxes & level crossings.
The Platform, chaired by Mr Alexander Netolicky (OBB) reported on the World Congress on Training organised in St Poelten last April. The answers to the evaluation questionnaires sent to the participants after the congress showed very positive feedback, encouraging members for next event (planned in 2015).
The Expertise Platform has received primarily some bids to organise the Third Congress, so far verbally (from Russia, Turkey, France) – UIC will shortly send a letter for formal application.
The members of the Platform agreed on the work programme for 2013/14 as well as in promoting and supporting the global project initiated this year called: “Network of talented youth” (Youth Project).
Supported by the UIC General Assembly in December 2012, the “YOUTH” project deals with the need for the rail sector to find solutions on how to better attract and retain young talents,
The overall project aims at extending the possibilities for the innovative development of railway transport and improving the competitiveness of rail transport services by fully using the intellectual and innovative potential of young talents.
The main actions currently initiated are targeted at young talents from railway university/research centres and young talents from the railway industry.
The international “SIAFI” training course is being redesigned and rescheduled with the objective to tie the SIAFI projects in with the “UIC Innovation Awards”.
The Platform members have supported the idea to extend the membership by selected universities and railway research centres recommended by UIC’s active members.
At the session representatives of Oman’s Ministry of Manpower – Directorate General of Vocational Training participated for the first time – they expressed a wish to cooperate with UIC for its further developments.
The next plenary session is expected to be held in October 2013 – the venue and date will be communicated soon.
