Britain’s railways are set to benefit from a new wave of innovation as GBRX, in partnership with the National Skills Academy for Rail (NSAR), launches a pioneering apprenticeship programme in data science and artificial intelligence.
The initiative aims to tackle the sector’s long-standing technology adoption challenge, where complexity and inertia have slowed the uptake of even well-established innovations. The programme will embed applied technical skills directly into the rail system, helping employers build confidence and capability in using AI and data science to solve real-world problems.
The apprenticeship will:
- Develop applied data science and AI skills tailored to current and future rail challenges
- Embed apprentices within GBRX’s strategic innovation community
- Enable rotations across rail organisations, exposing participants to diverse operational environments
- Connect apprentices to a collaborative network of experts, practitioners, and providers
- Support employers with limited internal capacity through GBRX and NSAR’s combined expertise
Apprentices will work on shared, high-impact challenges across the rail network, gaining hands-on experience while contributing to sector-wide innovation.
GBRX Managing Director Toufic Machnouk said:
“The intelligent application of data is the backbone of an intelligent railway. This ambitious programme is how we start to build the applied capability and confidence required to better understand and adopt intelligent technologies across track and train and solve deep challenges that improve how the system works for people.”
This programme is part of GBRX’s broader mission to advance strategic innovation across track and train, ensuring that data intelligence is no longer fragmented or disconnected from operational realities.
By embedding AI and data science into the heart of the rail system, the initiative will help unlock smarter, more efficient, and more responsive services — from predictive maintenance and scheduling to passenger experience and safety.
Image credit: iStock
