Media centre

Monday 6 Feb 2012

WOMEN IN SURREY AND HAMPSHIRE WHO WANT DEGREES URGED TO TAKE THE APPRENTICE ROUTE

Region & Route:

| Southern: Wessex

| Southern

Many young women in Surrey and Hampshire 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.

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.”

Natalie Burton, 22, from Portsmouth is a 2^nd year telecoms apprentice based at Eastleigh, Hampshire. She said: “I was working as a lifeguard and needed a fresh challenge. Living away from home for the first year was hard at times but well worth it. I am more independent and it has provided me with the challenge I needed. More importantly I am at the beginning of a fantastic new career.

“I have made friendships that will last forever and I've been given opportunities I could never have dreamed of. Telecoms are at the forefront of future technology and Network Rail is currently changing over from analogue to a complete digital communications system. It is a really important area of work – for example, we provide the systems for the railway which enable communication between signal boxes and also with the phones at level crossings which are vital in an emergency. I work with a great team who have supported me throughout and being the only woman at my depot has never been an issue. I am so glad a saw the advert for the scheme and just went for it.”