Phil Forster

When did you realise this was the career path for you?

When I first had the chance to work as a Systems Engineer in 2020, I found it very rewarding knowing I was helping shape the whole system. As well as enjoyment, the complexity of engineered systems continues to increase to meet modern-day needs and Systems Engineers are needed more than ever to manage this complexity.

Have you got any words of wisdom for someone starting out in a similar role?

There’s a common view in the systems engineering community that the best systems engineers typically spend the early stage of their career focussing on a single discipline or specialism before moving into systems engineering. I can understand the logic, but systems engineering is ultimately a domain-agnostic practice. So, I don’t place as much importance on this notion as the wider community does. What can be observed is that technology is moving at an ever-increasing pace. My suggestion to any early careers engineer is to figure out a way to deal with this pace of change. I think one way to do that, is to treat every day as a school day where there is always something to be learnt. Don’t become complacent and believe you know everything. Even if you think you know it all, that knowledge will be out of date by tomorrow!

How does SYSTRA stand out from the rest as a great place to work?

I’ve been at SYSTRA for a little over twelve months. What I’ve observed during this time is the strength of expertise across the business, the diversity of the workforce and the prestigious projects they are involved with. For me, these factors make SYSTRA a great place to work.

With such power in diversity, what unique perspective do you bring to the table?

I always try to see the world through the eyes of others. Whether this is when working with somebody new, developing a new system to be used by others or just listening to a colleague who is confiding in me.

Where is the place that has inspired you the most?

I went wild camping in North Wales with a few friends just before I joined SYSTRA. We camped close to the top of one of the mountains and the weather progressed to being spectacularly bad, with strong winds and rain battering our tents throughout the night. However, after a terrible night’s sleep we woke to be greeted with the most beautiful sunrise over the clouds, and I felt a real sense of gratitude to have made it through the night and be sharing that fantastic morning with my friends. It felt like an inspiring moment and one that I will remember for a long time.

What does true sustainability really mean to you?

Working in the transport sector I feel I’m making a positive impact towards sustainability by improving social mobility, and making society more equitable by providing greater opportunities to those with less.

What would a green future look like?

I’m a massive advocate of secure and sustainable energy. With current technology in mind, a mix of nuclear, wind, solar and hydroelectric will best provide security and sustainability. Secure and sustainable energy coupled with a strong public transport network is the ideal future.

How do you look after your wellbeing outside of work?

I look after my physical health with exercise, time out of the city, a good diet, a regular routine and lots of time with friends and family.

If you could spend your lunchbreak with someone you really admire, who would you choose?

I think Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg would make for an interesting conversation. They take the concept of capitalism to the extreme!

If you had to pick, which mode of transport would you use for the rest of your life?

There’s not a single mode of transport that suits all needs. For intra-city and inter-city travel I prefer public transport such as trains and buses. However, I recognise that outside of cities, public transport can be limited, and using a personal car makes more sense for some.