30,000 new apprenticeships in road and rail sector

A new transport skills strategy has been announced by the Department for Transport (DfT) that sets out plans to create 30,000 apprenticeships in the road and rail sector by 2020.

Contracts let for major transport infrastructure projects from March 2016 will include targets for the creation of new apprenticeships and the DfT, alongside its delivery bodies, including Highways England and Network Rail, will work with suppliers to ensure the targets are reached.

The new plans outline that the number of apprenticeships created each year should equal 2.5 per cent of the workforce, with suppliers either creating one apprenticeship for every £3 million to £5 of taxpayers’ money spent, or delivering a percentage increase in the number of apprentices employed each year through the lifetime of the contract.

Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said: “Our record investment in the transport system won’t just deliver new world-class infrastructure, it will create opportunity for people across the UK by guaranteeing apprenticeships through contracts. We are creating thousands of high quality careers across the country, many of which are cutting edge, highly technical and require Britain’s best minds.

“Our skills strategy sets out what we are doing to making these job opportunities highly desirable, so we can attract the nation’s talent and equip them with the skills to deliver on our commitment to build a world class transport infrastructure system.”

In addition to these apprenticeship targets, a agreement has also been reached with Network Rail, Highways England, HS2 Ltd, Transport for London (TfL) and Crossrail to increase the number of women employed in the transport sector.

This aims to ensure that the number if female entrants to engineering and technical apprenticeships is in line with the proportion of women in work by 2030.

Mike Brown, London’s Transport Commissioner said: “Apprentices are central to delivering the modernisation of London’s roads, Tube and other public transport networks to meet the needs of a rapidly growing population. Together with our suppliers, we have created over 5,500 apprenticeship roles over the last seven years. We are committed to creating many more into the future, including welcoming many more female entrants to the wide range of engineering and technical apprenticeships we can offer.”