Friday 6 Jul 2012
Apprentices get to work on Western routes
- Region & Route:
- | Wales & Western: Western
- | Wales & Western
Twenty-one apprentices have started work at Network Rail depots across the south west and beyond after completing their first year’s training at Europe’s largest engineering training facility at HMS Sultan in Hampshire.
They are part of a 200-strong cohort of trainee engineering technicians across Britain who will work under supervision for the next two years gaining vital experience as they train in their specialist areas of track, signalling, telecoms or electrification and plant. They will return to HMS Sultan for further courses and training throughout this time.
Mac Andrade, Network Rail’s director of maintenance, said: “Having a highly skilled and dedicated workforce will help us deliver a better maintained and performing railway, so welcoming yet another 200 apprentices into our depots is fantastic for us.
“Our experienced engineers and technicians will further their training on-the-job, teaching them all they need to know to become invaluable members of the Network Rail team.”
Twelve of the south west apprentices are based in Reading, four in Bristol, three in Plymouth and two in Swindon.
Adam Heaton, 18, a signalling apprentice based at Bristol Templemeads, said: “I joined last September and this is my first full-time job. It looked like a good opportunity and I thoroughly enjoyed the training course at Gosport. It’s going to take me about two years to qualify but I’m looking forward to furthering my career.”
Chris Lyward, 20, a second year signalling apprentice, based at Par in Cornwall, said: “I was attracted to Network Rail because the apprenticeship scheme is so good. There are not many apprenticeships around and theirs is a good scheme. Once I had moved down to Gosport, I really enjoyed the training and am now looking forward to being on-the-job and applying the knowledge that I have picked up to work out on the track.”
Liam Ody, 19, a track apprentice based at Swindon, said: “I found the training course very challenging at first because I came from an A-level background and I had not any engineering background but I managed to complete the practical tasks.
“It has been very different going from a college environment to a work environment but I am learning quite a lot already. It has been a great experience going out on the track. The job has already exceeded my expectations and I am doing quite well I think.”
Notes to editors
About the Network Rail advanced apprenticeship scheme
A three-year programme that equips you with the skills and experience to become a maintenance engineering technician.
There are seven engineering programmes: track, signals, electrification and plant, signal design, property works, mechanical locking and telecoms. Each one gives you the chance to work in a critical area of the business, where your development will continue beyond the three years of the scheme.
Paid Learning
In the first year, you will be paid £8,400 + £1,150 when you successfully finish the year; the salary will rise to £11,750 in the second; and £14,000 in the third.
In the first year, you will be paid £8,400 + £1,150 when you successfully finish the year; the salary will rise to £11,750 in the second; and £14,000 in the third.
In the first year, Network Rail will also feed you, pay for your accommodation and provide the clothing and personal protective equipment that you need – including safety boots, cargo trousers and a fleece. There are plenty of holidays: 28 days plus bank holidays in total. Again in your first year, your leave is planned for you and Network Rail will pay for you to travel home for long weekends and Christmas, Easter and summer holidays.
Qualifications
After three years, you will have the qualifications (NVQ, BTec and ILM (Institute of Leadership and Management)) and skills to develop a long-term career with Network Rail. Many apprentices complete their first year and soon start to think about their career options – and many set their sights on becoming technical officers, team leaders or managers. There are even further opportunities to study a foundation degree for those who demonstrate the commitment and ability.
The apprentices will be based at Bristol, Reading, Plymouth and Swindon. They will start work in depots in:
- Bristol
- Didcot
- Exeter
- Newbury
- Paddington
- Par
- Plymouth
- Reading
- Swindon
- Westbourne Park
- West Ealing
Contact information
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03457 11 41 41
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MediaRelationsWestern@networkrail.co.uk
About Network Rail
We own, operate and develop Britain's railway infrastructure; that's 20,000 miles of track, 30,000 bridges, tunnels and viaducts and the thousands of signals, level crossings and stations. We run 20 of the UK's largest stations while all the others, over 2,500, are run by the country's train operating companies.
Usually, there are almost five million journeys made in the UK and over 600 freight trains run on the network. People depend on Britain's railway for their daily commute, to visit friends and loved ones and to get them home safe every day. Our role is to deliver a safe and reliable railway, so we carefully manage and deliver thousands of projects every year that form part of the multi-billion pound Railway Upgrade Plan, to grow and expand the nation's railway network to respond to the tremendous growth and demand the railway has experienced - a doubling of passenger journeys over the past 20 years.
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