Media centre

Monday 9 Feb 2026

National Apprenticeship Week: Shaping the future of rail in the North

Region & Route:

Eastern

The Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) is marking National Apprenticeship Week 2026 (9-15 February) by celebrating the impact being made by its investment in local skills, careers and talent.

TRU will deliver faster, more frequent trains on a greener, more reliable railway. With the programme firmly in its delivery phase and many benefits already being realised, it will shape the future of rail travel across the North.

Helping make the future a reality are TRU apprentices: from rail engineers to project managers, and data analysts to project planners, they play a vital role in today’s operations and will do so for years to come as they develop their skills and experience within the programme.

TRU’s apprentices help challenge the norm, bringing fresh thinking and innovation. TRU is committed to fostering an environment where everyone’s input is valued.

The programme has supported 455 apprenticeships since its inception, placing it comfortably on track to achieve its target of 590 by the end of its life cycle – this is in line with a key part of TRU’s sustainability strategy: providing Northern jobs, that ensure its workforce reflects the rich diversity of the communities it serves.

Of those total apprenticeships, 307 are classed as New Starts, meaning their role in TRU is their first career job.

It was a new start for Alice Smith, 25, who joined TRU as a Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability Apprentice in September 2023, after moving to Leeds for university. Following a successful two and a half years, Alice completed her apprenticeship and is now an Associate Sponsor for the programme.

“It’s a big misconception that you have to be 16 or 18 to do this. I came out of the apprenticeship in a unique way. I have a History degree and was 23 when I started my apprenticeship, so anyone can do one.

“You see people who are 30 with kids, you see people who have just left school, there’s a really mixed bag of skills and experiences that people can bring to TRU.”

Mohammed Patel, 25, from Blackburn, also reflected on kickstarting his career in the rail industry through a Planning Apprenticeship.

“I applied for an apprenticeship because I wanted to gain real life experience, rather than just studying theory. I think it was easier for me to actually sit down and be able to learn on the job, gain experience and earn my qualifications.

“What I've enjoyed most since joining TRU would be the site visits. Being a planner, you spend a lot of time sat at your desk looking at schedules, plans and documents in fine detail. But stepping out, going onto site and being able to see the work that has happened and is going to take place, gives you a really different perspective. I’ve enjoyed being able to see the planning we’ve done come to life.”

There have been 86 apprenticeships classed as Upskills, where someone already working on the programme has decided to take an apprenticeship course to develop further. Karl Wilson, 39, from Leeds, joined TRU in November 2021 as a Social Value Coordinator. Six months later, he started a Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability Apprenticeship and has now achieved a distinction.

“Taking up an apprenticeship helped me expand my knowledge and understanding of social value and sustainability in more depth.

“It has helped me massively in my role and given me more confidence to influence things that I think can improve our approach in this area, which is really fulfilling.

“One example of this is my role in TRU’s community farm project at a school in Ravensthorpe which will enhance hands-on learning and build skills for students.”

TRU’s commitment to apprenticeships and Northern jobs also saw the programme play a founding role in the PlanBEE Rail scheme, a unique higher apprenticeship programme designed to recruit and develop the next generation of project managers.

The initiative, developed by Network Rail, its supply chain partners, NSAR and Gateshead College, sees apprentices rotate around four different employers across a two-year programme, giving them options to work on a variety of different rail projects across the North. TRU has supported 22 apprenticeships on the PlanBEE Rail programme.

David Bassett, Apprentice & Graduate Programmes Manager for TRU, said:

“National Apprenticeship Week always serves as the perfect time to recognise the impact our apprentices are making on TRU, but the wider rail industry as a whole, given the scope of the programme.

“Apprenticeships are embedded in almost every facet of the programme, and are integral to our day-to-day operations. The number of apprenticeships TRU has supported and our commitment to schemes like PlanBEE Rail show the trust we are placing in people embarking on their career journeys. To apply for an apprenticeship and view further information, please visit  https://thetrupgrade.co.uk/vacancies/”