Northern, the second largest train operator in the UK, is about to expand its ever growing workforce, with projections for graduating apprentices from its training academies in Leeds and Manchester on course to deliver a fourfold increase.
With almost 100 ‘passing out’ through the training scheme in the last 12 months and another 400 on-track to continue this growth in 2023-24, the operator is having a National Apprenticeship week to remember.
The apprenticeship roles on offer range in a plethora of departments, such as new train crew (conductors and drivers), train presentation, engineering and business administration. Further roles will be advertised in March and May, seeing a further 26 train driver apprenticeships based at depots including Darlington, Hull, Leeds, Sheffield and York.
Officially recognised by OFSTED as a ‘Main Provider’ of apprenticeships in 2022, Northern has maintained its status as an industry leading training provider, allowing them to offer their services to other train operators and rail industry organisations across the UK.
Apprenticeships within rail are often praised as a means to integrate more diversity into the workforces comprising the sector, with the needs to nurture a younger and more digitally native individuals to match the growth in use of new technologies.
With the ambitions to see more growth in this field, Northern has partnered with the Multicultural Apprenticeship Alliance (Powered by Pathway Group) – an organisation that strives to promote social mobility, diversity, inclusion, and equity in apprenticeships.
Tricia Williams, chief operating officer at Northern, said:
“We’re very proud to be the leading provider of rail industry apprenticeships in the UK.
“Each and every one of the graduates from our academies has the potential to be an industry leader of the future – bringing their skills, talent and ideas to the table.
“This is such an exciting sector to be a part of and there’s no better grounding for a successful career in rail than an apprenticeship, which combines classroom learning with on-the-job experience.”
National Apprenticeship Week runs from 6 – 12 February and is designed to celebrate everything that is amazing about apprenticeships. It is organised by Amazing Apprenticeships, a leading organisation in the education sector.
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