Get your career on the right track with an apprenticeship in rail.

Unless you’ve been stranded on a desert island somewhere then you would have heard about HS2 (High Speed 2)

The big topic currently making the head lines in the press. Last week Boris Johnson  gave the go-ahead for the rail project to commence and despite the controversial talks around the project it generate thousands of jobs (30,000) and apprenticeships for years to come.

HS2 will revolutionise rail trail within the UK connecting London to the North and reduce travel time by hours. HS2 will directly connect 8 out of the 10 major UK cities from London to Birmingham and beyond.

Now HS2 themselves are recruiting lots of apprentices as part of the project and government funding they are required to recruit apprentices, not just to help stem the skills shortage but also to promote and encourage new entrants into the rail sector, and I guess it’s their way of providing employment opportunities for all.

It’s not just HS2 that are recruiting apprentices either, many of the main and sub-contractors are also needing to train up staff through the apprenticeship route due to ageing workforce and skills shortages. There is a Hugh variation to the possibilities through apprenticeships on HS2 from Project Management to IT Cyber Security you name it.

If HS2 don’t interest you and you live in and around London how about working on the underground or TFL’s rolling stock division. Transport for London manage and operates all rail activities in the city from new projects like CrossRail to your everyday train journey across London. TfL are a always actively recruiting apprentices to transfer existing knowledge and skills from current employees as it is hard to find others with underground rail experience in the UK.

Not a fan of the underground or live too far from London then you could always consider a career with Network Rail who manage the overground rail operations within the UK, also now back under government control making them a public sector organisation. Network Rail employs over 40,000 employers all across the UK, from their head quarters in Milton Keynes. NR are responsible for the up keep of the rail lines and all associated equipment and stations which is a huge job to make sure that train operators can provide a reliable service on a daily bases. As with HS2 and TfL, Network Rail are also a regular employer of apprentices, you can find out more here.

So if you are looking to get your career on the right track then starting an apprenticeship in rail is a great option and offers a long lasting career opportunity.