Date
- 03.11.21
SWGR is delighted to announce the appointment of Raymond Johnstone as its new Head of its Training business, PPE business (SIS) and worldwide-renowned welding business, ScotWeld.
Raymond has, over the last 30 years, undertaken numerous senior leadership roles including being a member of ScotRail’s Executive Team, General Manager (Scotland West) for Network Rail and Nexus’ Executive Director in charge of its infrastructure and railway operations.
Over the last two years, he has led and delivered a University Education Programme specifically targeted for railway managers in South Africa. This last appointment has seen more than 500 students graduate up to Honours level and in doing so help to improve the railways as they develop in South Africa.
Raymond will draw down on his experiences when spearheading SWGR Group’s training, PPE and welding businesses.
The appointment is a significant milestone in SWGR’s journey as it continues to build on its strong foundations of the last 30 years and be the infrastructure support services provider of choice for buying organisations across the UK.
Raymond joins a business that has developed a host of initiatives to improve operational processes, especially around health and safety, in the sectors it works in. Through its training, it is playing a major part in providing skilled labour to the rail frontline – where future skills shortages have been widely reported as an issue.
He will be instrumental in SWGR’s drive to help supply high quality frontline colleagues with suitable PPE across the country, as well as build on ScotWeld’s reputation as a widely trusted business that can write, test, assess and certify welders and welding procedures.
Raymond said: “This opportunity is an incredibly exciting one – SWGR has been widely renowned as a business with a great attitude towards doing the right thing and building longstanding relationships with its customers.
“The training element of my role is an incredibly important one – we are determined to provide high-quality people to work in the rail industry. That isn’t just about their ability, but our immense focus on mental wellbeing and behavioural training will help these individuals to become well-rounded colleagues armed with the skills to develop a fantastic career for themselves.
“SIS has the building blocks in place to be able to provide quality PPE to any frontline colleague anywhere in the country and improving that access to the right PPE, a factor in which I know is incredibly important to buying organisations such as Network Rail, is essential – we have a role to play in that.
“ScotWeld is a business that is highly regarded in the welding sector working all over the world on some significant structures. There is a shortage of skilled welders, and we have an obligation to meet those demands.
“I am looking forward to using my experience and playing my part in what has been a fantastic story already for SWGR.”
Raj Sinha, Group Managing Director for SWGR, said: “Raymond’s experience speaks for itself – he is a man that knows the industry that we work in very well. He will be a huge asset to the SWGR team as we continue to innovate and develop what we do for our customers.
“We don’t have aspirations to be the biggest infrastructure support services provider in the country – we want to be the best. This is why we are making appointments like this, so that we can continue to strengthen and add more experience to what is already a very knowledgeable team.
“Everyone at SWGR is delighted that Raymond is joining us on what is already a very exciting journey.”