Network Rail has a three-year Advanced Apprenticeship Scheme which trains Maintenance Engineering Technicians in areas such as: Signalling, Off Track, Track, Distribution and Plant, Telecoms or Overhead Line.
Entry requirements: 4 subjects at National 5 including English, Maths and a science or engineering subject.
Applications for the March 2022 intake open in September. You can find the link for the apprenticeship scheme here.
To qualify you need to be 18 years of age or older by the time you start your training.
If your online application is successful, you will then complete some aptitude tests followed by a telephone interview. If you pass these then you will attend the assessment centre for practical tests and an interview.
You need a good level of physical fitness, and have to pass a medical examination, which includes sight and hearing tests.
You will undergo regular drug and alcohol tests to make sure you are not under any influence during working hours – Network Rail have a zero tolerance policy.
Jobs are with Network Rail, which is responsible for maintaining around 3,000 miles of track and related infrastructure in Scotland.
Training is on the job combined with off the job training.
All apprentice technicians must attend the Westwood training centre, in the midlands region of England, for their first 23 weeks of training. Accommodation, meals, work clothing and safety equipment is provided. The remainder of training is based at a depot close to your home address.
In year 1 you study a National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) in Performing Engineering Operations Level 2 and a Level 3 Engineering Award.
In years 2 and 3 you study NVQ Level 3 in Railway Engineering and ILM Level 3 in First Line Management.
Network Rail has a training centre in Larbert near Falkirk for training Scottish staff in new techniques and updating their existing skills.
Getting On
Once you have qualified, you may be able to do further study and gain more advanced qualifications in engineering.
With these advanced qualifications, you may be able to register as an Engineering Technician (EngTech) or as a professional engineer (IEng or CEng).
Whatever your specialism, there are opportunities to move on within the organisation and become a team leader. With further experience, you could work on larger projects as a project engineer or manager.
More Information
The Engineering Council sets and maintains the standards of the engineering profession in the UK.
The Tomorrow’s Engineers website has more information on careers in engineering.
Network Rail is the company with responsibility for all aspects of the railway infrastructure, including the track, bridges, viaducts, tunnels, level crossings, stations and signalling systems.
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