Patrick Burke

Multi-faceted engineer with a proven ability to apply technical knowledge to create value for clients across the North American, European and UK rail industries. Joining Ricardo Rail UK as a Mechanical Engineering graduate in 2018, Patrick has since gained an MSc in Engineering Management and is now a senior consultant within the Ricardo Canada rail engineering team based in Toronto.

Patrick has worked on safety assurance and systems engineering projects, alongside internal business improvement initiatives, developing a strong a background in Systems Engineering, Project Engineering, Technical Assessment and Safety Assurance. He is experienced in delivering projects from proposal through to completion, having led assessments for clients across the railway sector, including operators, government bodies, railway undertakings and OEMs

What do you do at Ricardo?

I’ve also had the opportunity to work on some research and analysis projects, most recently with the new light metro system in Montreal, looking at emergency evacuation and helping our client understand the risks and potential solutions when passengers are faced with an emergency and need to disembark an automated vehicle with no staff on board. 

Additionally, I have experience working with systems engineering for infrastructure projects and have also been a part of business development and change management teams, leading bids and researching methods of internal business transformational culture change. 

What do you like most about your job?

Ricardo is an environment that is not afraid to challenge its engineers through new learning opportunities. Several times I have been able to try something completely new to me and been given incredible support to develop my own career.

I recently was given the opportunity to work on a ground-breaking 135m euro project in Ireland, helping one of our key clients, Irish Rail, develop, design and commission a new operational control centre designed to coordinate the signalling of all trains across the country. This came about because I was able to put my hand up for new and exciting projects and had the backing of Ricardo leadership to learn and adapt to a new specialism.

Most recently, I have been able to relocate from the UK business to our unit in Canada; a team that is successfully developing client relationships and moving from strength to strength – with possibilities to further grow and develop even as the team expands and grows within a new market.  

How do you keep your work interesting and fun for yourself and with your colleagues?

One thing I’ve inherited from those who came before me in the Derby office was the importance of taking a walk during a lunchbreak with colleagues. It’s a wonderful opportunity to discuss work, solve problems together, and catch up with everybody. 

It's something we’ve been doing every day here in Toronto, and I think it’s been helpful in creating a team feeling here amongst the Canadian team. 

On a slightly less routine side of things, the team here finds going to events together important – we’re quite spread out geographically, so whenever we are all in one place, we’ll try to go to watch a Baseball game, or sample some of Toronto’s famous restaurant scene. 

What insight about your work, team or business unit can you offer? 

Canada is undergoing something of a public transport revolution. In car-focused North America, there’s a huge transition to be made and we’re just at the beginning of it. If any fellow transport engineers ever have the opportunity, I’d recommend jumping onto a Canadian or North American project – it’s a fascinating environment in which to work! 

We have such a varied and wide portfolio of work here in Toronto, that within weeks of the move I was in Montreal on a site visit. A few weeks later, I was walking around a new-build station in the early stages of construction – part of the huge ongoing works to expand regional rail in the Toronto area. 

How have you personally found the move from the UK to Canada?

The support I received during the move was beyond helpful, with help provided to find accommodation, get a driving license, set up my bank accounts and get a social security number. I have spoken since the move to friends in Toronto who have also moved here from abroad, and the support that I was given enabled me to avoid so many of the headaches they found during their move.

I’ve been living here for over a year now, and it’s been such a great choice. I’ve progressed in my technical capability, been given opportunities to be involved in some fascinating work and have settled into the heart of a city with so much to offer. I’ve joined a local rugby club, and even managed to win the famous McCormick Cup – the Ontario State rugby trophy - in my first season. I’ve made new friends, re-discovered family members, gone on skiing day trips with colleagues in the winter, and read my book on the beach in the winter.