Skills Minister John Hayes has welcomed a ground-breaking Apprenticeship to Fellowship scheme designed to help engineering apprentices joining the railway industry.
The scheme will enable apprentices to gain professional recognition.
“I am determined to widen and deepen our country’s skills base by breaking down barriers between vocational learning and higher education.
“By opening up the route to higher qualifications to more young engineers via advanced and higher apprenticeships employers, engineering institutions and the Engineering Council will build a world beating rail sector,” said Mr Hayes speaking at a conference organised by the National Skills Academy for Railway Engineering.
Chairman of NSARE and Crossrail, Terry Morgan, is right behind the new initiative;
“As a former manufacturing apprentice, I am delighted that the Engineering Council and the engineering institutions have joined together with NSARE to form a Policy Group which will drive this initiative forward.
“It is essential that young people who choose a vocational career path have equal opportunities to progress their careers as those who choose to go to university.”
The Policy Group includes senior executives from the Engineering Council, Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Institution of Engineering and Technology, Institution of Civil Engineers, Institution of Railway Signal Engineers, Permanent Way Institution, the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, the Welding Institute and the National Skills Academy for Railway Engineering.
Stephen Tetlow, Chief Executive of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, is chairing the new group;
“The Professional Engineering Institutions have come together for the first time in a joint initiative with the National Skills Academy for Railway Engineering.
“This unique venture will allow many more talented people to rise to the top of the railway industry, and ensure a safe, modern, UK railway network for the future – including High Speed Rail.
“Many great engineers have entered engineering through a vocational rather than academic route and this will give all professional engineers and technicians equal chance to excel and reach the top of the railway engineering profession,” says Mr Tetlow.
Gil Howarth, Chief Executive of the Academy, stressed the need for new apprentices and professional training;
“The Railway Engineering sector needs to double the number of apprentices that it takes on each year from about 500 to 1000.
“To fulfil their potential, we must ensure that they have the opportunity to obtain the necessary qualifications for them to be able to progress right to the very top of their chosen profession.
“We will develop a common approach, in conjunction with employers, which will help and encourage those apprentices who are willing and able, to progress through the various grades of Engineering Institution membership right through to Fellowship.
“Career progression for such individuals will be helped considerably as a result of this initiative,” says Mr Howarth.
