Ian Bridges FIRSE (97th IRSE President 2021 - 2022) will be speaking at the Rail Technical Conference, hosted by ASAVRAIL
Dont forget to visit our IRSE stand!
Schedule - Doors open for participants/speakers at 8am.
- Doors Open for visitors: 8:45am – Registration & Networking until 9:15am
- Talks Begin: 9:15am
- Morning Break: 20 minutes - Networking
- Lunch: 30 minutes (sandwich lunch provided) - Networking
- Afternoon Break: 20 minutes - Networking
- Final Networking Session: To close the day
- Event ends 5pm
Please keep an eye out on the links for more updates
Event Information
EventBrite link for registration
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- What is the purpose of the conference?
The Rail Technical Conference (RTC), hosted by ASAVRAIL, is designed to address the critical challenges facing the UK rail workforce — particularly in the areas of competency, compliance, and resource management.
Its purpose is to bring together technical leaders, training providers, industry bodies, and frontline professionals to openly discuss how we maintain high technical standards, keep our people safe, and retain the skills needed to deliver future infrastructure.
Through targeted talks and panel discussions, the conference aims to spark action around improving training, supporting workforce wellbeing, and strengthening industry collaboration.
- Who are your intended delegates?
The Rail Technical Conference is aimed at those directly impacted by the current lack of consistent work and workforce uncertainty in the rail sector.
Our delegates include:
- Track and signalling installers and technicians facing fluctuating workloads
- Design engineers at all levels—from apprentices and graduates to senior engineers
- Site safety staff and compliance officers managing increasingly complex safety demands
- Construction and civils operatives affected by project delays and underutilisation
- Possession planners and frontline supervisors dealing with compressed programmes
- Early-career rail professionals and apprentices seeking sustainable career paths
- Contractors, agency workers, and supply chain staff experiencing irregular employment
- Directors, Project Managers, Commercial, QS, Document Controllers
This event is focused on those whose livelihoods and professional development are being challenged by the current market pressures — providing them with insights, support, and a platform to be heard.
The conference sessions will be delivered by a diverse range of industry experts and representatives, including:
- Engineering and project leaders from main contractors and infrastructure owners
- Training providers and competency managers focused on upskilling and professional development
- Professional institutions (such as the IET/IRSE) supporting registration and career progression, other bodies such as RBF, RIA, YRP, WIR
- Mental health and wellbeing professionals addressing workforce stress and resilience
- Regulators and workforce planners discussing solutions to resource challenges
- These contributors aim to engage constructively with the realities faced by the workforce, driving conversations that can lead to practical improvements.
- What is the message you want people to come away with?
The key message is this:
“We cannot deliver a safe, reliable, and modern railway without investing in the people who make it happen.”
Delegates should come away with:
- A clearer understanding of the current pressures facing the rail workforce
- Practical insights into improving competence, wellbeing, and compliance
- Inspiration to take action within their own organisations
- A renewed sense of shared responsibility for industry-wide standards
It’s also about connection and collaboration — creating space for open discussion between those in training, operations, engineering, and leadership roles.
- We are just trying to understand more what the conference is about to see how we fit with it.
That’s absolutely understandable. The RTC is ideal for organisations who:
- Deliver technical training or workforce development services
- Support mental health, wellbeing, or professional development in rail
- Provide technology or systems that support competency, licensing, or compliance
- Want to engage with the rail engineering community on standards and innovation
- Are interested in shaping the future of the UK’s railway workforce
- Play an active role in delivering projects across the network