The Learning, Development & Investing in People award celebrates the individuals and teams that demonstrated an outstanding commitment to developing talent within the industry. It recognises initiatives that enhance skills, knowledge, and career progression, and honours those who invest in training, mentoring, apprenticeships, and professional growth.

In 2022, Andy Hill, a developer of uktrainingsolutions.com and now driver safety assurance manager at Chiltern Railways, was honoured with what was then known as the ‘Learning & Development Award’. He was nominated nationally by the rail community for channelling his passion for safety and education into an innovative online tool now widely used across the UK, as well as for his ongoing commitment to teaching and developing rail workers.

Andy was praised for his extraordinary skills when it comes to blended learning, development, and online web applications, and for spending much of his spare time helping those who need a hand. Here he discusses his experience of winning the award, the avenues it has opened for him, and his career since his successful evening.

What did it mean to you to win the Learning & Development Award?

It was a real honour. It validated the work I’d been doing to support learning and development in a practical, forward-thinking way, especially around the use of digital tools. I was also told there was a record-breaking number of votes that contributed to my winning, which was fantastic to hear. The evening itself was a great opportunity to celebrate the efforts of so many across the industry.

What opportunities has your RailStaff Awards success provided?

Since receiving the award, I’ve continued to focus on innovation in training, assurance, and compliance verification. The recognition helped to highlight the value of the work I was doing and gave me the confidence to drive forward more digital approaches.

One of the most significant developments has been the creation of a dedicated assessment platform designed specifically for safety-critical roles. It incorporates advanced technologies to support competence, knowledge retention, and digital outcomes aligned to customised competency frameworks.

Key innovations include real-time immersive route assessing, virtual tour assessments of traction units, and dyslexia-friendly functionality that allows users to adjust settings to suit their individual needs, supporting both diversity and neurodivergent drivers. The platform has already attracted international interest, which has been incredibly encouraging and shows the wider relevance of my work.

How has your career progressed since 2022?

I’m currently the driver safety assurance manager for Chiltern Railways. My role includes assessing and verifying driver competence, maintaining my own operational competence, supporting incident investigations, and contributing to safety improvement initiatives.

I also help put together safety briefs and learning aids to support effective delivery across the business. Additionally, I use my technical strengths to develop and implement digital solutions that enhance learning, compliance verification, and assurance.

What are your future plans?

I plan to continue evolving and expanding digital tools that support safety, driver development, and inclusive learning. My goal is to make training more intuitive, accessible, and effective, ensuring the highest standards while also embracing modern, user-friendly technology.