Media centre

Tuesday 7 Feb 2012

WOMEN IN LONDON WHO WANT DEGREES URGED TO TAKE APPRENTICE ROUTE

Region & Route:

| Southern

Many young women in London are missing out on a career in engineering because traditional university routes are closed to them because of subject choices they made pre-GCSE, according to Network Rail. A Network Rail apprenticeship can reopen those academic doors, with the company funding around 40 apprentices a year to further their education with a part-time HNC in engineering. The best are then supported to do foundation degrees, undergraduate degrees and reach chartered engineering status.

Today, the start of National Apprenticeship Week, the company is urging young women who are interested in a career in engineering to apply for its advanced apprenticeship scheme for 2012 – with 200 places up for grabs across Britain. Applicants can visit a new Facebook page www.facebook.com/ontrack with videos, profiles and content managed by current apprentices who can respond directly to any enquiries and showcase the opportunities on offer. There are 39 vacancies across London.

Official figures from the Higher Education Statistics Agency show that women get better grades at university than men with 66% achieving a first or 2:1 compared to 60% of men. However only 15% of people taking engineering or technology undergraduate degrees are women.

A focus group with women on the Network Rail scheme revealed that recognised qualifications and the opportunity for further training and development were one of the main reasons they were attracted to joining the company.

Commenting on the new campaign, Network Rail head of resourcing Adrian Thomas, said: “We recruit smart and ambitious women and men through our apprenticeship scheme who we know if supported can go on to higher academic achievement. As a growing sector, rail needs to recruit and retain top quality engineers for the future.

“Our recruitment experience tells us that many young people find the route to higher education in engineering closed because of their GCSE choices, which has a knock on effect to A level and degree options. By reopening the academic doors to those who have not taken the traditional route, we hope to attract more talented women to apply and nurture that engineering expertise that will make our business stronger, more successful and better value for the British public.”

Vicky Fox, 23, a second year signalling apprentice at Euston, said: “I was first attracted to the scheme because it offered a job with a future. During my time here, I can honestly say there have been very few moments that I haven't enjoyed.

“The job is very varied - one day you could be doing routine maintenance and the next you could be installing new equipment on the railway. I chose to do signal engineering as I knew it would be mentally challenging as well as physically, without me diving in way over my head as I am not the world's strongest person at only 5ft 2.

“I would recommend that anyone who enjoys problem solving in a fast paced outdoors environment should also choose signals and if any women are looking to apply then please do. Women are still in the minority on the railway but it is slowly changing."