YRP: Having made its first foray into Europe at InnoTrans 2010, the Young Railway Professionals networking group is holding another reception at this year’s show.
YRP was established in the UK in 2009 as a pan-industry network to foster career development among younger professionals and to enhance the attractiveness of the rail industry to school and university leavers.
Now numbering in excess of 1350 members, YRP is seeking to strengthen its ties with similar organisations outside the UK.
During its last visit to Berlin, YRP established a partnership with Jonge Veranderaars, which represents young railway personnel in the Netherlands. As YRP Chairman Paul Cooper explains, this 'first contact' at InnoTrans has led to the development of an exchange programme which sees a JV delegation arrive in London this month for a series of technical visits around the southeast of England, hosted by YRP. A reciprocal exchange is planned for 2013.
To further facilitate networking opportunities across the industry, YRP is relaunching its website ahead of InnoTrans to create an ‘online community to deliver ever closer working and openness across the industry, allowing the exploitation of common business goals and pooling of talent’, Cooper explains.
- The YRP 2012 European Networking Reception takes place on September 20 on Stand 106 in Hall 4.2. It is co-sponsored by Railway Gazette International and Hitachi Rail Europe.
