Celebrating the first graduating cohort of CIRO Connect
CIRO are pleased to congratulate the first cohort of CIRO Connect, who this week have completed their course and graduated from the year-long immersive learning experience. Alongside this achievement, participants were also able to upgrade their CIRO membership level to Associate, reflecting the level of expertise they have gained from the course.
On Thursday 26th February, Rachel Heath- CIRO Fellow, Board member and Operations Director for Wales & Borders at Network Rail- joined the session to facilitate the graduation process, where participants received a certificate and CIRO membership badge. Carol Deveney, course leader, was also in attendance to congratulate the graduates and close the course.
Built upon CIRO’s Professional Operators’ Development (POD) Framework, the 12-day interactive course immerses learners in the core components of railway operations, offering insight into the complexities of this dynamic industry. Each day focusses on one of the POD sections, offering a comprehensive understanding of how the rail system operates as an interconnected whole.
The course is designed to be an innovative experience that takes learners from a beginner to an in-depth level of knowledge about the rail industry. Participants from this cohort have praised the way the course has introduced them to the industry and helped them to understand it as a whole system:
“It’s that holistic understanding. Quite often in your day job as rail professionals we’re pigeonholed into a certain area, whereas CIRO Connect really encourages us to think more outwardly. It’s not only interesting, but really important.
I’d honestly recommend it to anybody who is interested in rail or who works in the rail industry. Particularly for people new to the industry because it can be quite overwhelming and there’s so much to learn. Having a structured program is undeniably useful to anybody who is new to the industry.”
– Sara Flower, course participant
“As someone who didn’t have much experience in the industry when starting CIRO Connect, I could sit in meetings and some concepts could go straight over my head. Actually, having someone explain them to you who’s been involved in the industry for such a long time and who delivers the content in a way that is digestible and easy to understand has been really useful and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it so far.
CIRO Connect helped me gain a wider understanding of the rail industry and get my head around certain concepts that either didn’t mean much to me before, I hadn’t had much exposure to before or just didn’t understand.”
– Charlie O’Donnell, course participant
“It’s all about understanding the industry. I had no exposure to the way the railway operates; I’ve never understood the intricacies of it. That’s the biggest thing I’ve taken away from the sessions and the most helpful thing about it.
One of the most enjoyable things about it is the way it’s been delivered. Carol has been absolutely incredible, and through that delivery it’s helped me to kind of visualise things, instead of just reading out of a handbook or a guidebook. It’s helped me to gain a better understanding, and this comes off the back of how its structured.”
– Jack Wheelhouse, course participant
The course is highly experiential and interactive, guiding learning through discussion, real-world applications, case studies, practical exercises, reflection, and guest speakers. This approach to learning drives knowledge beyond theory and has created a program with a long-term industry impact. Speaking on the innovative nature of the course, course leader Carol Deveney has shared:
“I hear ‘Innovation’ set out as an intention for training sessions. That means truly committing to creativity and trying new ideas to bring innovation into the learning experience. It takes courage to step away from the traditional methods. Of course, it is what needs to happen if we want different results. CIRO embraced this from the outset for the CIRO Connect programme. They have been collaborative, adventurous, forward thinking and driven the creation of a programme I wish I could have attended 20 years ago!”
– Carol Deveney, Course Leader
The closing session for the first cohort of CIRO Connect marks a significant moment for CIRO, who were shortlisted for ‘Skills Development Excellence’ at the Rail Business Awards and ‘Training Excellence’ at the Spotlight Rail Awards’ based on the CIRO Connect course. This graduation is therefore a proud moment for both course participants and CIRO.
CIRO are also excited to announce the launch of a London-based CIRO Connect cohort in September 2025, and we are currently looking to build this cohort further. Please contact learning@railwayoperators.co.uk for more information about the course or to register your interest in this September 2025 London cohort or future cohorts.
To find out more about CIRO Connect, you can also browse the course brochure or our website.
