Network Rail opens its Reading depot doors to aspiring apprentices

Wednesday 27 Nov 2013

Network Rail opens its Reading depot doors to aspiring apprentices

Region & Route:: | Wales & Western: Western; | Wales & Western; | Southern

Network Rail is inviting young people from across the Thames Valley area to its delivery unit in Reading this weekend to experience life as a railway apprentice and meet the people and high-tech kit involved in keeping Britain’s rail network running.

The company is seeking 35 new apprentices to join its ranks along the Western route, which is seeing billions of pounds invested in the coming years to provide a bigger, better, more efficient and more reliable railway.

The apprenticeship open day is aimed at those looking for apprenticeships to start in September 2014, and also those who may be considering them for the future.

Budding apprentices will have the chance to view a series of live demonstrations of the sorts of work that apprentices may become involved with. There will also be a presentation on the scheme itself which will explain the entry requirements, plus hints and tips for the application process. There will also be an opportunity to speak to current and past apprentices, engineers and recruiters about the scheme and the opportunities available.

Michelle Palin, who heads up recruitment for the Network Rail scheme, said: “It's a very exciting time to work on the Western route with projects like electrification, the redevelopment of Reading station and Crossrail. We need more highly skilled people to help us meet the challenges of a busier network and focus on improving performance and increasing capacity as passenger numbers continue to grow.

“The apprenticeship is just the start of our learning programme. The Reading delivery unit is evidence of the quality of training our people of all levels are offered and we're committed to developing our workforce.

"Many of our apprentices go on to be team leaders and managers and take up the opportunity to further their education with a foundation degree in engineering, which we fund and support. I look forward to meeting lots of young men and women and their families to showcase the exciting opportunities available at Network Rail."

Since 2005, Network Rail has trained 1050 apprentices across Britain through the three-year scheme with a further 600 currently still in training.

The first year of the award-winning three-year scheme is spent at Europe’s largest engineering training facility at HMS Sultan in Hampshire. There apprentices specialise in either track, signalling, telecoms or electrification and plant. During their second and third years they experience work on the rail network’s front line, gaining vital experience as they train to become maintenance technicians. Throughout this time they regularly return to HMS Sultan for further courses and training to add to the experience gained on the rail network.

Anyone wishing to attend should confirm their place by emailing: advanced@networkrail.co.uk" href="mailto:advanced@networkrail.co.uk">advanced@networkrail.co.uk More information on the scheme itself can be found at: www.facebook.com/ontrack

Media are invited to attend the event, where there will be opportunity to speak to both apprentices and senior railway managers. Contact Dayle Sellars 020 3356 9164 to confirm your interest.

What: Network Rail apprenticeship open event

When: Saturday 30 November, 2013, 10am-1pm.

Where: Network Rail Reading Delivery Unit, Napier Road, Reading RG1 8FJ

Notes to editors

About the Network Rail advanced apprenticeship scheme:
It is a three-year programme that equips you with the skills and experience to become a maintenance engineering technician. www.facebook.com/ontrack

There are five engineering programmes: track, signals, electrification and plant, signal design 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, apprentices will be paid £8,400 + £1,150 when they 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, pay for accommodation and provide the clothing and personal protective equipment that they need – including safety boots, cargo trousers and a fleece. There are plenty of holidays: 28 days plus bank holidays in total. Network Rail will pay 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 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.

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 - South East route
020 3357 7969
southeastroutecomms@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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