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Tuesday 11 Jul 2023

Levenmouth Rail Link project launches skills academy

Region & Route:

Scotland’s Railway: Scotland

The Levenmouth Rail Link project has launched its Rail Skills Academy and is looking for young people in Fife to participate.

Based at the Fife Heritage site, the Academy will equip participants with the competencies, skills and work experience required to thrive in the railway maintenance sector.

Running full-time over nine weeks and delivered by QTS training, the course has been designed to equip young people with the entry-level skills and certificates to gain employment in the world of rail.

Subjects covered in the five weeks of FREE training include personal track safety, track induction and one-day certificates in emergency first aid, manual handling and small plant and tools.  The 12 participants will then benefit from four weeks of on-site work experience.

People aged 18 and over are being invited to come along to an assessment day on Tuesday, August 1. Candidates who register in advance can come along, find out more and have informal discussions with the staff running the course.

As part of the £116m Scottish Government funded project to reconnect Leven to the mainline rail network with direct trains to Edinburgh, the project is keen to leave a legacy and encourage the next generation of railway workers to start their careers.

With support from Fife Council in the form of a £55 per week training allowance to each participant, this course is fully accessible to anyone looking to begin a career on Scotland’s Railway.

Kris Kinnear. Network Rail’s capital delivery director said: “We are really excited to see this project launched in Levenmouth. Our site team are passionate about this and we are all looking forward to the assessment day on August 1.

“Helping to inspire the next generation, who may never have thought about a railway career, is a positive step.

“The rail industry continues to have a large work bank and our contractors are keen to strengthen their workforce.  Training and employing local people is a great way to leave a legacy.”

Lorna Gibson, Director of QTS Training said: “Network Rail and its supply chain are creating initiatives to encourage young people into our industry. As a lead contractor working in this sector, QTS has been developing a range of programmes; apprenticeships, traineeships and graduate development to assist with this.  

“The Levenmouth Skills Academy programme will bring opportunities for young people to be introduced to rail and to gain the qualifications, competencies and initial experience required to take the first step in a career in what is a thriving industry.” 

Cllr. Colin Davison of Fife Council said “I am delighted to see the launch of the Levenmouth Rail Skills Academy. It’s great to see these opportunities become available to our community.

“There is much that our people can benefit from and I would encourage anyone over the age of 18 to register their interest in the assessment day. It’s such a fantastic opportunity and I look forward to hearing the success stories.”

You can apply to the Levenmouth Rail Link Skills Academy by contacting qtstraining@qtsgroup.com.