Media centre

Tuesday 8 Mar 2005

“ALL ABOARD” SAYS NETWORK RAIL AT THE LAUNCH OF ONE OF THE UK’S BIGGEST APPRENTICESHIP SCHEMES

Region & Route:

| Southern

A nationwide hunt for over 1,000 budding engineers marks the launch of Network Rail’s new ‘advanced apprenticeship scheme’.  An investment of £30 million makes the engineering apprenticeship programme for 17-19 year olds one of the biggest in the UK.  Over the next five years, Network Rail will be searching for the talent of tomorrow to take up the challenge of helping to rebuild Britain’s railway.  Each year 200 apprentices will be recruited from throughout the UK, focusing on major depot locations.  Successful completion of the comprehensive three-year course will guarantee apprentices jobs within Network Rail’s maintenance function.  In Wales and the West Country, 26 recruits will be sought for the region’s three maintenance depots in Bristol, Exeter and Reading.  Adverts will appear in selected local papers over the next few weeks. Iain Coucher, Network Rail Deputy Chief Executive, said: “This exciting new scheme demonstrates our commitment to investing in the railway men and women of tomorrow.    The scheme provides a fantastic opportunity for the successful applicants who will play a key role in helping to rebuild our railway.” The selected apprentices will be taught by the very best trainers from the Royal Navy, Network Rail, and Flagship Training Ltd, and will ‘earn as they learn’, being paid £9,000 in their first year rising to £13,000 by year three. In the first year of the course, the aspiring young trainees will be trained at Europe’s largest engineering training centre, the Royal Navy’s historic HMS Sultan in Gosport, Hampshire.  Accommodation will be at the nearby HMS Collingwood, where almost £2 million is being invested in the complete refurbishment of living accommodation, including common rooms, kitchens and classrooms.  The 179-acre establishment also boasts bespoke facilities, including a swimming pool, football, tennis and squash amenities and much, much more.  In addition, a massive hangar is being fitted out with railway equipment – track, signals and structures – to help provide the apprentices with a real flavour of what is to come. The initial course of study will give the apprentices a solid background in engineering, leading to the attainment of NVQs at level 2 and 3 and a BTEC National Award technical certificate. Network Rail staff will teach the second and third years of the course, delivering a range of rail-specific training. This will help Network Rail to fulfil its commitment to standardise the competencies and standards of its employees.