David Robinson: Volunteer at the Carolinas Association for Passenger Trains

David Robinson

BSc Engineering Science, 1968

Based in: USA

First job:

Trainee at Warwickshire Surveyor's office

Retired but actively volunteering for Carolinas Association for Passenger Trains , which advocates for better passenger rail services in both North Carolina and South Carolina.

Describe your current role and what attracted you to it.

My last four years' employment were as a consultant to the North Carolina Department of Transportation's (NCDOT) Rail Division, so after I retired, I wanted to continue some passenger rail activities.

What’s your favourite part of the role?

Providing rail safety and travel information to anyone who will listen to me.

What are the key skills you learnt at Warwick that have helped you with your career to date?

Creative thinking, public speaking, and an analytical mind.

Did you have a specific career path in mind when you chose to study at Warwick?

No, but a visiting lecture from a Transport Engineer was the catalyst for my choosing to pursue a Master's degree in transport engineering and for my career, which embodied all modes of transport.

What top tips do you have for Warwick graduates who would like to work in your sector?

Get volunteer or employment experience in any way you can as soon as you graduate.

What does a typical day look like for you?

No breakfast (we're on KETO lifestyle, so we fast from evening meal to next day's lunch), then I complete two hours of writing or data analysis on my laptop, then one hour of light exercise, then lunch (first meal of day), them another one or two hours being creative on my laptop, then an afternoon walk for an hour or two, followed by an evening meal and in bed by 9pm.

What has been your greatest career challenge to date and how did your experience and skills help overcome it?

Creating a new programme for the NCDOT to plan and implement a multi-year wetland and stream mitigation program to compensate for environmental impacts of major transport projects (mainly highway construction projects.)

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given in relation to your career?

Involve everyone when brainstorming solutions to problems.

What should current students or recent alumni be doing to move their careers forward?

Have a good attitude, get experience in anything, even if it's not in you desired field.

What do you know now that you wish you had known when you were applying for jobs?

Always expect the worse to happen in anything. Reject comments like "well, it's never happened before!"