PWI Rail Alliance

PWI NSW Practical Rail Alliance Project

The PWI Practical Rail Alliance builds on the foundations laid by the UK’s Practical Trackwork Challenge – a unique programme where professionals step out of the office and into real rail environments to gain hands on experience. Delivered in collaboration with heritage lines, the UK challenge offers practical training in a controlled but authentic setting.

Here in New South Wales, we’ve reimagined that concept, giving early-career professionals not only the chance to experience infrastructure delivery firsthand, but to lead it.

The NSW Difference: Leadership from the Outset

This is not a simulation or technical showcase, it’s a real rail project, delivered by a specifically selected and dedicated subcommittee of young professionals.

Participants will be responsible for managing the entire lifecycle: project planning, stakeholder engagement, approvals, risk and safety assurance, on-site delivery, and post-project close-out. From concept to completion, the team will drive it forward.

And this year, the challenge comes with added complexity and opportunity.

The project will be delivered in partnership with Transport Heritage NSW (THNSW) and the Rail Track Association Australia (RTAA) at Thirlmere, during a period when the site remains open to the public. Extended invitations will also be issued to corporate stakeholders and industry observers.

That means working around live public access, heritage operations, community presence, and strict safety protocols, all while upholding the highest standards of professionalism, coordination, and delivery.

This is infrastructure in the real world, and you’ll be at the heart of it.

Program Overview & Commitment Expectations

Participants will:

• Be inducted into a young professionals subcommittee tasked with managing the full scope of the project
• Bullet Point

What You’ll Gain

• 1x Annual Membership to the PWI
• Free access to the Convention

Whether you come from engineering, project management, construction management, supervision or safety, or another part of the rail industry, this is an opportunity to broaden your industry knowledge, step beyond your role, and become a more well-rounded, future-ready professional.

Eligibility Criteria

To be considered for selection, applicants must:

• Have three years or fewer experience in the rail industry
• Be employed by a PWI Corporate Sponsor organisation
• Hold (or be in the process of obtaining) a valid RIW card and White Card
• Be available for the full programme, including workshops and November delivery week
• Demonstrate motivation, professionalism, and a genuine desire to grow as a leader