Apprentices at Yorkshire Rail Academy training to be track engineers (From York Press)

Apprentices at Yorkshire Rail Academy training to be track engineers

11:43am Thursday 14th March 2013 in Business news By Natalya Wilson

The next generation of track engineers is being trained in York through a partnership between a specialist rail academy and York College.

And this week apprentices at the Yorkshire Rail Academy (YRA) showed Dr Alison Birkinshaw, principal of York College, and apprenticeship ambassador, Councillor Julie Gunnell, what their work as railway engineering apprentices entails.

The visited to the YRA which is based at the National Railway Museum and run by Vital Skills Training, was to mark National Apprenticeship Week.

Vital Skills Training, part of Vital Services Group, launched the regional training academy at the YRA last August with York College.

Dr Birkinshaw said the college provided the classroom-based theory which was put into practice on the track at the academy.

She said: “The college is extremely proud of the partnership it has with the National Railway Museum, which manifests itself in the Yorkshire Rail Academy – a really superb learning facility for rail engineering.”

Lawrence Dobie, education and training director at Vital Services Group, said: “This specialist facility provides a place for learners to develop the skills needed to deliver on some of the rail projects recently announced by Network Rail. By providing and generating opportunities for young people, we can help them to broaden their horizons and develop the skills they need to make the most out of what can be a long and rewarding career.”

Charles Welburn, 18, who is due to complete his apprenticeship in August, said: “I like working outside and really enjoy the practical side of my apprenticeship. I’m learning lots of new things and know that there are a lot of opportunities in the rail industry which I can progress on to once I have finished my qualification.”