Media centre

Friday 14 Oct 2016

Last chance to apply for Network Rail apprenticeship scheme

Region & Route:

Scotland’s Railway: Scotland

• Railway infrastructure company seeking 14 apprentices across its Scottish depots in 2017 – including Aberdeen, Inverness and Perth

Applications are still being sought for Network Rail’s award-winning 2017 Advanced Apprenticeship scheme, which closes to entries on Monday, October 31.

Network Rail is looking to recruit hundreds of apprentices UK-wide – including 14 in Scotland – as it continues to deliver its £38bn Railway Upgrade Plan.

Successful apprentices will be part of the 20,000-strong army of front line engineers and technicians who fix and maintain Britain’s rail infrastructure.

The Advanced Apprenticeship scheme offers a chance to earn while you learn, gaining valuable work experience, transferable skills and recognised qualifications along the way.

Apprentices will spend the first five months of the three-year scheme at Network Rail’s training centre near Coventry, specialising in one of five areas: electrification and plant, overhead lines, signalling, telecoms or track.

They then move to their local depots to learn through on-the-job training on the railway’s frontline, gaining knowledge and vital skills from experienced team members, complemented by additional off-railway learning throughout the rest of their time on the scheme.

Alex Sharkey, Network Rail area director for the North and East of Scotland, said: "Network Rail's apprenticeship scheme is extremely popular and competitive and I am pleased that we can continue to attract new talent to our organisation.

“The railway is an exciting and fast-growing industry that can offer so much opportunity to those who are willing to work hard and develop and our apprentices are key to bringing in new ideas and improving what we already deliver.”

First-year apprentice Christopher Donaldson-Rolle from Perth joined Network Rail as an apprentice last month. The 20-year-old added: “I was looking for a really secure apprenticeship and you will always need the railway. It’s a secure job and the benefits of working with the company really stood out for me. After hearing more about what I’ll be doing, I can’t wait to get started.”

More than 2,000 people have joined Network Rail’s Advanced Apprenticeship scheme since its launch in 2005.The majority of those coming through the apprentice scheme also progress their career with Network Rail, with 85% of those who started on the 2005 scheme still working for the organisation 10 years later.

The scheme is open to anyone who is 18 by March 1 2017. The closing date for applications for the March intake of apprentices is Monday 31st October 2016. Further details can be found at: http://www.networkrail.co.uk/apprentices.