Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to promote rail apprenticeships in the North West of England.

In 2016 DfT set ambitions through the Transport Infrastructure Skills Strategy to increase apprenticeships in road and rail bodies to help address skills shortages in the transport sector.

DfT works in collaboration with employers across the sector to create quality apprenticeships through an industry body, the Strategic Transport Apprenticeship Taskforce (STAT) to deliver these ambitions. Network Rail, HS2, the Rail Delivery Group, National Skills Academy for Rail and TfL are members of STAT. So far, over 5000 apprenticeships have been created in road and rail bodies.

Since 2017, the Department for Transport has used its procurement to drive apprenticeship numbers through contracts, including those within the rail industry.

Network Rail is committed to promoting its apprenticeship programmes, both in the North West and across the country. Network Rail reports that it has taken the following steps to promote its apprenticeships in the North West:

• career events, such as the National Apprenticeship Show in Bolton
• local schools, colleges and UTCs, at locations including Preston, Manchester, Crewe and Wigan

This engagement enables Network Rail to promote work experience opportunities, insight talks, career opportunities and skill sessions.

These opportunities are also promoted via digital advertising on social media platforms, job boards and at stations. Those who register their interest regarding apprenticeships can choose to be updated on new opportunities via text and email.

In 2017/18 Network Rail’s London North West Route exceeded the public-sector target of having 2.3% of their headcount as apprentice starts and had 196 apprentices in the last financial year.