#NAW2022 - Northern apprentices on track with Myerscough College
- Published
- Tuesday 8 Feb 2022
It's National Apprenticeship Week.
We are proud to promote some of our exciting apprenticeship provision at Myerscough College.
We caught up with some of the Advanced Railway Engineering Technician apprentices at Northern Trains Limited who are currently part way through their programme with Myerscough College. The three-year apprenticeship, which is delivered in partnership with Northern Trains and the National Training Academy for Rail (NTAR), gives entrants the high technical skills, knowledge and experience needed for a successful career in the industry.
Jo - Railway Engineering Apprentice – Newton Heath Depot – Manchester
“I chose the Northern Trains apprenticeship because I always had an interest in engineering and believed Northern was the best place to acquire the necessary skills and experience to gain a permanent job in the Rail Industry. The best part of being an apprentice is that you get to learn a wide variety of skills from many different people. Additionally, I have been able to get experience working on different units, learning new techniques to fix systems and find faults on the trains.
‘’My advice to those considering apprenticeships is to always think ahead and apply for things you have a real passion and interest in. Apply for the jobs even if you don't think you have all the qualifications because you will learn on the job, and even get paid for the experience.
‘’The apprenticeship is challenging and fast paced but has really helped me gain the skills and the confidence needed to work in the Railway Industry. There is a clear career path and a good salary once qualified. I am now in my third year and being an apprentice during Covid has been tough. With the support of College and my employer I have kept on track and am proud of my achievements.”
Becky - Railway Engineering Apprentice - Newton Heath Depot – Manchester
“I chose an apprenticeship because I was already interested in electrical engineering and wanted to broaden my knowledge and skills in this field of work., The best part about being an apprentice is getting to earn money while I learn key skills. I have learned more about the mechanical side of engineering and what it takes to ensure that a train can fully function.
‘’My advice for those seeking an apprenticeship is to trust your gut instinct. If it's a job that interests you, then just go for it, you have nothing to lose. No matter what your current skill level, or gender you will learn as you go and be supported every step of the way. This apprenticeship has helped me progress by introducing me to mechanical engineering and has given me good progression opportunities.
‘’Being an apprentice during covid has been tough. We at times resorted to online learning via Teams. It was quite challenging balancing the work required by college with onsite learning and development at depot. However, I managed to keep things on track and get through it.”
Jack - Railway Engineering Apprentice – Allerton Depot – Liverpool
“My top tips and advice for any young person considering a career in engineering would be;
‘’Don’t worry if you don’t know it all – An apprenticeship is there to teach you the skills you will use in your career. Whether you’ve been tinkering all your life or have never held a spanner, an engineering apprenticeship will teach you the skills you want to learn.
‘’Ask yourself why? – An engineering apprenticeship can open a multitude of amazing career opportunities. If you can figure out what specific part of engineering you are attracted to, then you know what goals you need to work towards. Are you interested in electrical engineering? Mechanical? Are you interested in health and safety? Engineering has so many sub-divisions that knowing what excites you about it from the start can have a great impact on the future of your career.
‘’Take a leap of faith – Starting an apprenticeship can be a worrying ordeal. It’s a big change of pace from what you have come to expect during your time in school but that doesn’t mean it’s too scary to do. An apprenticeship is an amazing opportunity and if you are interested in applying for one, then don’t let anything stop you”
Lee Price, Employer Services Manager at Myerscough College said: “With the current developments and expansion of the rail network in Britain, it’s important that we attract and train new engineers who can progress to be the professionals and managers of the future. We are proud to work with Northern Trains Limited to help them secure and train the next generation of Railway Engineering Technician.
‘’There is a great career path and fantastic earnings potential for those that complete the programme. This year will see our largest intake with 18 new positions at Northern Trains Limited.”
Paul Wilkinson, Engineering Training Project Manager at Northern Trains said: “It's fantastic to work with Myerscough College on the apprenticeship programme. The scheme seeks to give new entrants to engineering a great opportunity and career path. There is a skills shortage within the Railway Engineering sector, and apprenticeships are just one strand we are using to address this.
‘’I look forward to meeting the new intake for 2022 and seeing them develop throughout the programme.”