Rail apprenticeship scheme ‘on right track’

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A pioneering apprenticeship scheme run by West Nottinghamshire College has been praised by the Government’s Skills Minister.

John Hayes MP, Minister of State for Further Education, Skills and Lifelong Learning, met with rail engineering apprentices being trained to work on the UK’s rail network.

It came as part of a visit to the college’s rail track training centre at Beeston, Nottingham, to see how its state-of-the-art facilities are benefiting young people and employers. The centre boasts a 140-metre stretch of rail track used to provide trainees with a realistic working environment before they start employment in the industry.

Mr Hayes said: “This apprenticeship scheme is a fantastic example of how vocational learning is helping young people to achieve the skills and confidence needed for a challenging and complex labour market. Having met some of the trainees at Beeston, I was inspired by my efforts to build the best apprenticeship system ever.

“Good further education provision is a mixture of expertise, getting the frameworks right and imbuing trainees with purposeful pride. These apprentices are proof that vocational learning can transform lives, by changing life chances.”

The rail track training facility is run by the college’s recruitment service Vision Apprentices in partnership with Trackwork and Bridgeway Consulting.

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