As Head of Control at Network Rail East Midlands, Bronnie leads the team responsible for the day-to-day running of the network as well as managing longer term risks such as large events up-coming and engineering work. “It’s a hugely varied role and you truly don’t know what you may be dealing with day to day,” she says.
Away from work, Bronnie loves outdoor adventures with her two Labradors and has recently taken up Canicross—combining running with dog walking. She’s also an avid reader with a soft spot for horror fiction in the autumn.
Bronnie’s journey with CIRO began academically—first as a student on the degree programme, and now as a tutor. Inspired by past events and the people she met, she joined the council to give back and help others discover the wide range of careers rail has to offer. “CIRO is so important to helping people understand the industry more broadly and exposing people to the opportunities available to them and their careers.” She adds, “CIRO has helped shape my career in ways I couldn’t have imagined. I didn’t even know some of these roles existed until I attended events.”
Joining the CIRO Midlands Area Council just a couple of months ago, Bronnie Clarke is already making an impact as its new Chair. Looking ahead, the Midlands team has a packed events calendar, including sessions on planning for major rail events, PIMS, and a summer family day at Crich Tramway. The council are already booking events for after the summer break so lots to look forwards to.
Bronnie’s advice to members: “CIRO is so important to helping people understand the industry more broadly and exposing people to the opportunities available to them and their careers.” She adds, “When I first started attending CIRO and similar events I was a bag of nerves, it can be quite intimidating attending a room full of people who I perceived to be all experts in the industry – but take the leap and I doubt you’ll never look back! Everybody is so friendly, you’ll undoubtedly learn something and you’ll make connections that you can then catch up with the next time.”
