Monday 23 Feb 2009
TRANSPORT SECRETARY SEES THE REAL APPRENTICE SHOW
- Region & Route:
- National
Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon MP today got the full apprentice experience, seeing how hundreds of aspiring engineers are learning how to 'get hired' with Network Rail's advanced apprenticeship scheme at HMS Sultan in Gosport, Hampshire - Europe’s largest specialist engineering training centre.
The timely visit comes at the start of the Learning & Skills Council’s ‘Apprenticeship Week’. Mr Hoon was given a tour of the state-of-the-art facilities by Network Rail’s chief executive, Iain Coucher, and saw how the company provides people with the skills in track, signalling, electrification and plant, and telecoms to equip them for a long-term future within a growing rail industry.
Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon said: "Good transport links are vital to our economy and those transport links need well trained workers to maintain and improve them. This centre trains around 250 apprentices every year - giving them the skills they need to get rewarding long-term jobs in the rail industry. It is building a skilled work force that will benefit the country both now and in the future."
Iain Coucher, Network Rail chief executive said: "A bigger and better railway needs the very best in engineering skills to succeed. I believe that by investing in the future of hundreds of young men and women, we invest in our own future too. Our advanced apprenticeship scheme will put over 1000 of our people on-track for a career in a business which provides a vital service to millions of people every day."
Notes to editors
The Advanced Apprenticeship Scheme was launched in 2005. Around 240 first year students undertake the course at HMS Sultan in Gosport. Network Rail has an annual budget of £23million allocated towards vocational training. Our Advanced Apprenticeship Scheme is a three-year programme that equips you with the skills and experience to become a Maintenance Engineering Technician. By the end of the three years, you will have the qualifications (NVQ and BTec) and skills to develop a long-term career with Network Rail. The first year of the Advanced Apprenticeship is spent at Europe’s largest specialist engineering training centre, HMS Sultan at Gosport. We have a unique relationship with the Royal Navy, which means in addition to a dedicated on-site training centre we also have access to their extensive facilities. In the second and third years of the scheme, apprentices work as part of an engineering maintenance team in a chosen location. At the same time, they will work towards NVQ Level 3 in railway engineering, and this will involve a combination of rail-specific technical courses, work experience and formal assessments. Visit: http://www.everydaybrilliance.com/ for more information including a day in the life video from an apprentice Alex Randall in the Training section of the site.Contact information
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