The programme was developed by Network Rail, its supply chain partners, Gateshead College and NSAR (The National Skills Academy for Rail) to help address the industry’s skills shortages and meet the demands for a more flexible, collaborative and integrated workforce.
The Higher Apprenticeship in Associate Project Management focuses on the different stages of the project lifecycle including design, development and close-out. It combines study with working for some of the rail industry’s leading companies.
The first PlanBEE Rail apprentices started in September 2024 and are based in York and the surrounding area. They are gaining experience working on major projects including the Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) Programme, East Coast Digital Railway Programme & Northern Powerhouse Rail.
In September 2025, a second group of apprentices will join the PlanBEE Rail programme. Placements will once again be based across Yorkshire including York, Leeds and Huddersfield as primary locations. Apprentices will be required to travel across rail routes as part of their role.
Benefits
How does the PlanBEE Rail programme work?
PlanBEE Rail is a shared apprenticeship scheme with apprentices employed by NSAR as the Flexi-Job Apprenticeship Agency.
Apprentices undertake four, six month work placements over two years, hosted by different employer ‘sponsors’. By rotating between different companies, they gain a breadth of experiences and get a flavour of the wide variety of project management roles in the industry.
From the moment they join, apprentices become a valued member of the team. They spend four days a week at work and one day at college.
Throughout their apprenticeship they develop a range of skills and behaviours which are key to a project management role in the rail sector, as well as transferable skills like teamwork, leadership, innovation and communication.
On completion of the programme, sponsors are able to fill skilled vacancies with PlanBEE Rail graduates.
“At Alstom we are fully committed to finding our future talent through our apprenticeship and graduate schemes. We are extremely pleased to be part of the PlanBEE Rail project as it provides amazing opportunities for young people to work across a number of organisations during their apprenticeship. PlanBEE Rail also ensures a strong pipeline of talent for the next generation of project managers within the industry.”