Media centre

Monday 8 Apr 2013

Reading rail depot opens its doors to showcase education and career opportunities in engineering

Region & Route:

| Wales & Western: Western

| Wales & Western

Life-size railway track, rail inspection helicopter presentations and apprentices talking about their work experience will all be part of an open evening for parents and young people hosted by Network Rail as part of its partnership with UTC Reading – a new University Technical College specialising in computer science and engineering for 14-19 year olds, opening this September.

On Thursday 25 April, Network Rail’s maintenance delivery unit at Reading will open its doors to reveal what life is really like as a railway engineer and showcase the opportunities available to young people who choose to study engineering.

Patrick Hallgate, Western route managing director for Network Rail said: “With a big focus on infrastructure investment, Britain needs more engineers and high skilled people. We believe we have a responsibility to support education beyond our own workforce to encourage the next generation to get into engineering and show how it applies in the real world.

“By specialising in engineering and computer science, UTC Reading is well placed to help in this drive, and we’re playing our part by bringing real working life challenges into the classroom.

He added: “We’ve drawn on our experience working with the JCB Academy in Staffordshire and of course we hope some may choose to join us in the years to come as we deliver massive rail projects such as electrification of the Great Western route from London to Oxford, Newbury and beyond to Bristol and Swansea.”

 
Joanne Harper, Principal, UTC Reading comments: “Network Rail’s taster event is the perfect opportunity for individuals with a growing interest in computer science or engineering to come along and see how UTC Reading promotes learning through doing and places a firm emphasis on developing practical skills as well as academic. Network Rail, along with our other partners Cisco, Microsoft, Peter Brett Associates, The University of Reading and The Oxford & Cherwell Valley College, will be allowing students to get involved with some fantastic activities and really experience what it would be like to attend UTC Reading.”

One of a wave of newly established technical academies, UTC Reading is supported by four local employers: Network Rail, infrastructure consultancy Peter Brett Associates, Microsoft, and Cisco Systems. Network Rail has worked with the UTC to develop curriculum challenges around level crossing design and what materials are used and how they help build and maintain the tracks.

Details
Date: Thursday 25 April 2013
Time: 1730 – 1930
Venue: Network Rail Reading Delivery Unit, Napier Road, Reading RG1 8FJ. Limited parking is available.

Anyone who wants to attend should book their place by contacting: enquiries@utcreading.co.uk or call 0118 955 4544.

Activities will include:

• Model track and life-size outdoor track layout
• iPhone/iPad road show
• Air operations presentations
• 365 Safety Bus

There will also be short talks and opportunity for Q&A by Patrick Hallgate, Network Rail route managing director and Joanne Harper, UTC Reading Principal.