Monday 11 Jul 2011
KEEPING IT IN THE RAILWAY FAMILY
- Region & Route:
Wirral rail apprentice keeps up 140 year tradition
Craig Dobson is keeping up a 140 year old family tradition by being part of Network Rail’s apprenticeship scheme. Every generation of the family back to his great, great grandfather in 1871 has worked in the rail industry.
His brother Andrew is in his third year as a Network Rail apprentice; father Steve is a rolling stock technician with train operator Merseyrail; grandfather Charlie worked for Liverpool trams; great grandfather Robert worked at Edge Hill after serving in World War 1; great, great grandfather John started it all in 1871 working for the London North Western Railway Company at Edge Hill station.
Craig 24, from Greasby on the Wirral, has completed the first year of his three-year apprenticeship at HMS Sultan in Gosport, Hampshire, which is Europe’s largest specialist training centre.
He is now based in Sheffield, working under supervision and gaining vital on the job experience as he trains to become a signalling maintenance technician.
He said of his stay in Gosport: “Throughout the year there have been great opportunities to enhance my engineering skills and outlook on life. I have worked with a high standard of equipment as well as being tutored by experienced and knowledgeable engineers. The social side has also allowed me to live alongside my fellow apprentices, which has been a great experience and I have certainly gained valuable life skills along the way.”
Asked why he joined the scheme he said: “My brother had joined the programme in 2009 and had given me an insight into the scheme. Listening to my brother’s stories of both educational and social activities, I decided that I would apply for the scheme myself because of the great opportunities it would give me.
“I had worked alongside my uncle for a while doing a bit of electrical work, so I have already had pervious interest in this type of work. Signalling gives me the opportunity to work at different engineering levels too and I am currently enjoying working alongside the S&T faulting team.”
Brother Andrew is a third year Network Rail apprentice based in Liverpool studying railway track maintenance, and said of Craig: “I'm chuffed. We've always worked together since we were younger, both being chefs before this came along.
“He has really put himself in a good situation by joining the company, and with him having a degree in computer aided design already, I’m sure he'll do really well in his job.
“The fact that I am working the track side of things and Craig working the electrical side has a nice touch to it. If in the future we both reach our potential it could really be a big advantage having a brother who knows his stuff about another discipline. We’re both helping each other out with assignments and answering questions that we are curious about with regard to each other's discipline.”
Andrew is due to complete his apprenticeship in 2012 followed a year later by Craig.
Notes to editors
Individual photos of Craig and Andrew are available on the Network Rail website.
About the Network Rail advanced apprenticeship scheme
A three-year programme that equips apprentices with the skills and experience to become a maintenance engineering technician. One of the first things to be decided is which area of engineering they want to focus on.
There are seven engineering programmes: track, signals, electrification and plant, signal design, property works, mechanical locking and telecoms. Each one gives them the chance to work in a critical area of the business, where their development will continue beyond the three years of the scheme.
Paid Learning
First year pay is £8,400 + £1,150 on successfully finishing the year; the salary will rise to £11,750 in the second; and £14,000 in the third.
In the first year, Network Rail also feeds them, pays for accommodation and provides the clothing and personal protective equipment that is needed – including safety boots, cargo trousers and a fleece. There are 28 days holidays plus bank holidays. Network Rail pays for apprentices to travel home for long weekends and Christmas, Easter and summer holidays.
Qualifications
After three years, apprentices will have the qualifications (NVQ, BTec and 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.
Visit: http://careers.networkrail.co.uk/apprentices for more information on Network Rail's advanced apprentice scheme
Contact information
Passengers / community members
Network Rail national helpline
03457 11 41 41
Latest travel advice
Please visit National Rail Enquiries
Journalists
Network Rail press office -London North Eastern & East Midlands route
01904 383180
mediarelations@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.
Follow us on Twitter: @networkrail
Visit our online newsroom: www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk