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Wednesday 18 Feb 2015

Talented apprentices wanted in Wales

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Network Rail is seeking to recruit young people in Wales and the borders for its award-winning apprenticeship scheme, as it continues the largest investment into the railway since Victorian times.

The scheme offers anyone over the age of 17 a fantastic opportunity to earn while they learn, gain valuable qualifications and skills and build a career in engineering.

More than 2,000 people have joined the scheme since it was launched 10 years ago in 2005. These include school and college leavers as well as those that were unhappy with their jobs, and chose to go back into training to secure a more stable, long-term career.

Gabrielle Bishop, 21, from the Rhondda Valleys, became the first woman to join Sudbrook pumping station in Monmouthshire when she joined the scheme in 2012. She said: “There are lots of electrical opportunities within the company which attracted me. Girls would enjoy this, but maybe they never got the chance to try. I’ve always been the first girl to do things – the only one in my college course, the first girl to go to Sudbrook – I don’t mind, but hopefully I can encourage more to join.”

Terry Billings, 23, from Treorchy, joined as an apprentice in 2012 and is now working in Newport. He said: “I like the fact they throw you in the deep end to learn some of the practical stuff but of course it’s in the safe environment of the training centre. Everyone is really supportive and the job is hands on.”

This year, Network Rail is seeking to recruit seven apprentices in Wales and the borders.

Ian Iceton, human resources director at Network Rail, said: “We’re investing £38bn into upgrading and improving the railway so there’s never been a better time to join us. Our apprentices earn while they learn, gain top quality qualifications and are part of a 35,000 strong team helping people safely take more than 1.5 billion journeys every year. I urge anyone who is interested in building a career where you can make a real difference to apply to be a Network Rail apprentice today.”

The first year of the three-year scheme is spent at Europe’s largest engineering training facility at the Royal Navy’s HMS Sultan in Hampshire. There apprentices train in one of five core specialist areas: track, signalling, telecoms, electrification and plant and overhead lines. During their second and third years they experience work on the rail network’s front line, gaining vital skills as they train to become maintenance technicians. This on-the-job training is completed by further off-railway learning at training centres.

The Network Rail Advanced Apprenticeship scheme is open to anyone who is 17 by 31st August 2015. Further details on the scheme, including case studies of current and former apprentices talking about their own experiences, can be found on our website: http://www.networkrail.co.uk/apprentices.