Hitachi Rail engineer Terry Lynch has been nominated for an Outstanding Achievement award at the Scottish Ex-Forces in Business Awards for his role in working alongside ScotRail to help maintain the award winning, 100% electric Class 385 fleet. In this blog, he tells us about his transition to Hitachi Rail from a career in the Armed Forces, how his current work compares to his previous career, and what the future holds for him here at Hitachi.
I’m very proud to have been nominated for the Scottish Ex-Forces in Business Awards in the Outstanding Achiever of the Year category. It’s a real recognition of the hard work of Team Scotland, which has seen Hitachi Rail engineers collaborate with ScotRail to achieve record reliability and performance for Scotland’s fastest train.
Equally important, the nomination acknowledges the support that Hitachi Rail has provided to transitioning to civilian life and succeeding in my career at Hitachi.
Career in the Armed Forces
I spent just over two decades in the Armed Forces, having followed in my father’s footsteps and joined at the age of 18 in 1995. During my time there, I worked in every role from vehicle mechanic to middle manager, serving on tours to Iraq, Northern Ireland and Bosnia in various engineering roles.
When I decided I was ready to leave the Forces back in 2017, I wanted to move into a role that would allow me to use my existing engineering skills. I had heard wonderful things about Hitachi Rail from former colleagues in the Forces, who were really complimentary about the company’s ethos and its work. They put me in touch with the maintenance team in Scotland, and seeing the exciting work first-hand, I knew it was the perfect fit for me, and my skill set.
Transitioning to Hitachi
Making a change into a civilian role is not always easy for those of us who have served in the Armed Forces, and I definitely faced challenges when I first began.
I work on defect clearance and maintaining standards, which reflects my day-to-day work for the Armed Forces. While my daily engineering responsibilities in both roles are similar, the main difference is the customer relationship.
In the Forces, I was often working on engineering projects for my own colleagues, whereas our focus at Hitachi Rail is on achieving the best outcomes for the customer. Customers tend to be more information-hungry at Hitachi Rail. Ensuring the customer has the information they need and learning to react quickly has been new for me, leading to some really rewarding interactions.
Fortunately, both Hitachi Rail and the Armed Forces share a focus on incredibly high standards when it comes to engineering and maintenance. In the Forces, we always strived to keep equipment in the hands of the user and that reflects Hitachi’s goal to keep rolling stock operating at the highest levels. This approach has resulted in the British-built Class 385 winning awards and setting records in reliability over the past five years.
Another factor that helped me make the transition into a civilian engineering role at Hitachi Rail is the strong presence of veterans in the company. Working alongside other ex-Forces colleagues helped me settle into the role, and having a supportive community who shared and understood my experiences was key during my first months at Hitachi. I’ll always remember that support, and it’s something I’m keen to reciprocate for others changing careers or facing a new challenge.
The Future
As I progress in my work at Hitachi Rail, I’m taking on more responsibility and challenging myself in new ways. My ambition to upskill even further is matched by the interesting, cutting-edge projects available at Hitachi. In particular, I am excited by the chance to work on delivering innovative, green technologies like Battery-powered trains.
A Team Effort
I want to take this opportunity to thank all those at Hitachi who have helped me through the years. First, my colleagues on the Class 385 Final Acceptance Team led by Wayne Sparre, who have all worked so hard to carry the project to completion.
I also want to thank Tim Olton who nominated me for the Scottish Ex-Forces in Business Awards, which means so much to me.
Without our collaborative efforts this nomination would not have been possible, and it’s as much a credit to their hard work as mine.