The engineering career that’ll let you shape your country’s map

When you’re sitting on a train, watching the landscape through the window, do you ever stop and wonder who built the railway you’re travelling on?

The infrastructure enabling your daily commute is the work of people who are transforming Britain's transport system.

Meet Melanie Barker, a civil engineer and ICE Fellow, who has helped build some of London's biggest rail projects, including the new Elizabeth line.

Her job? Making sure millions of us can travel safely by train every day.

As the UK marks National Careers Week, Melanie highlights the unique opportunity for those working in railway engineering: the chance to literally change the country's landscape.

"Look at any map of Britain," Melanie says. "Those railway lines you see? Engineers built those. And we need more people to help build tomorrow's railways."

Making history on the tube map

Melanie became an engineer because she “wanted to leave a lasting legacy on the world and be part of something which directly benefits society”.

"Railways are so important," she says. "They allow communities to be connected, for people to travel to family or on holiday, and to move around our country in a clean, quick and comfortable way."

Melanie’s worked on transformative projects like the Northern Line extension and Crossrail, helping to transport the London tube map over the years.

“I loved working on the Northern Line extension,” she says. “To be part of taking a railway over 100 years old and extending it into a place where I lived in south-west London was just brilliant.”

The project showcased a fascinating blend of heritage and innovation, with miners working around century-old tunnels while incorporating modern engineering solutions.

And the rewards of such work are tangible. Take Crossrail for example.

"Genuinely being able to ride on the train, see the Elizabeth line on the tube map, and think 'I built that' is truly wonderful," Melanie shares.

What makes a good railway engineer?

As Melanie puts it, "If you want to build something that will last for generations and help thousands of people every day, this might be the career for you."

So what skills do you need to succeed?

"You need to be ready to learn something new every day," says Melanie.

"The work is varied - one day you might be in a tunnel, the next in a design meeting.

“You also need to care about the passengers who'll eventually use your railway. Will their journey be safe? Comfortable? Reliable? These are the questions we ask ourselves every day.”

Engineers in high demand

With major projects like HS2 underway and growing demand for sustainable transport, Britain's railways need engineers more than ever.

The UK's engineering expertise is so well-regarded that many engineers are recruited to work on projects abroad.

This can sometimes leave gaps in the UK workforce. However, Melanie sees this as proof of British engineering's strong reputation.

Engineering a greener future

Engineering isn’t just about building things. Modern railway engineers are leading the charge for greener transport.

"We're moving towards cleaner technology and finding smart ways to reuse materials," Melanie explains.

"When we dig tunnels, we try to reuse as much of the earth as possible. Even the machines we use on site are becoming diesel-free."

Looking forward, Melanie envisions a transformation in railway infrastructure.

"I see it becoming greener, cleaner and more digitised," she predicts.

The industry is moving away from manual systems towards new technologies, so that people can be trained for the unexpected, or more specialist tasks.

“I think we will keep pushing the boundaries on alternate fuels and looking at ways to build the railways more cost effectively.”

Your ticket to an engineering career

The skills you learn as a railway engineer can take you anywhere.

"Civil engineering is incredibly varied. Many engineers move between different sectors - from railways to bridges, from nuclear power stations to tunnels. The principles are often the same, but each project brings new challenges."

"If you want to be part of literally changing the map of the UK then come and join us civil engineers in building, creating and shaping transport infrastructure today and for generations to come!"

Start your engineering career