GEN Y RAIL
On Track at Network Rail
Pete Donovan, apprentice programme manager for Network Rail’s Advanced Apprenticeship scheme, described the benefi ts and opportunities from taking a less-traditional pathway into work.
Network Rail’s scheme runs for three years and offers technical qualifi cations as well as practical line side work experience. They typically recruit 210 apprentices from all across the UK every year and are currently recruiting for their tenth cohort. There are fi ve engineering discipline pathways on offer: track; signalling; electrifi cation and plant; telecoms; and overhead line.
Donovan said: “What do you get? A gold standard – BTec Level 3 in engineering, NVQ Level 2 and the Institute of Leadership and Management qualifi cation. As technicians, there’s a degree of responsibility you have to have when you’re working. Years 2 and 3 you’ll get a NVQ Level 3 in railway engineering as well as parts of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and the Institute of Engineering and Technology [qualifi cations].
“As well as that there is a continuous professional development programme in affi liation with Sheffi eld Hallam University whereby you can go on to a HNC, a foundation degree, a BEng, MSc and ultimately becoming chartered in about ten to twelve years. We offer a huge amount.”
project work that they do, either within school or at events like this. Today they’re doing CREST Discovery, which is like an introductory level to CREST – they can go on from that and do Bronze, Silver or Gold.”
STEM subjects are vital to the infrastructure of modern life and it is important to encourage more young people to consider studying science, technology, maths and engineering. These subjects are “where the jobs are”, Rogers said.
“The students who come through school today, if they come through with STEM skills, then they’re pretty much guaranteeing themselves a job at the end, and a well-paid job quite often.” He recognised the shortage of students choosing these subjects and going into fi elds such as the rail industry: “I don’t think young people do know enough about STEM and engineering; there’s not enough children coming through the educational system to fulfi l the jobs that are out there at the moment, let alone in the future.
“We’re looking at a defi cit – there are not enough students with the right skills. The only way to tackle that is through events like today, through informing them through STEM ambassadors going into
“I defi nitely want to work in the railway.
There’s all sorts to get involved with, seeing what there is to get started on. I’m hopefully looking for an apprenticeship; I’ve studied A-level engineering at college.”
The HMS Junior Engineers team, from Heaton Manor School, were excited to start the challenge, and were competing against the sixth-form team who had come along with them.
Gabriella, 14, said: “I think it’ll be really interesting to see what ideas we come up with and to see what other people do as well, for inspiration. It’ll be an experience.”
schools and telling children about the jobs and opportunities that are out there.”
Young engineers
College student Alex, 18, said he was keen to see what sort of careers you could do in the railway and which pathways you could take to get there.
The other girls said they had come along as they were interested in science, technology and engineering, and were confi dent they had some good ideas for the challenge.
They were later commended by the judges for their work.
RTM also spoke to the teacher of one of the winning teams, Trainiacs, from Stockton
74 | rail technology magazine Feb/Mar 14
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