Last year we joined forces with Network Rail, its supply chain partners and NSAR (the National Skills Academy for Rail) to launch a pilot PlanBEE Rail programme in Yorkshire and following the success of this, a second group of apprentices will join the programme from September 2025.
PlanBEE Rail is a pioneering apprenticeship to help address skills shortages and give young people the chance to launch their careers in the rail industry.
The higher apprenticeship programme aims to develop a new generation of project managers, specifically trained to meet the changing needs of the rail sector.
The first PlanBEE Rail apprentices started in September 2024 and are based in York and the surrounding area.
They are gaining experience working on some of the UK’s most significant infrastructure projects, including the Transpennine Route Upgrade programme (TRU), the East Coast Digital Railway programme and Northern Powerhouse Rail.
Leah Allen, a current PlanBEE Rail apprentice, said about the programme: “The opportunity to gain hands on experience whilst working towards a recognised qualification really attracted me to this scheme. My favourite aspect of the apprenticeship so far has been the constant opportunities to meet and connect with a range of incredible people within the industry.”
During the two-year programme, apprentices will undertake four six-month placements working for leading employers, including Alstom, AmcoGiffen, Amey, Aureos, Balfour Beatty, BAM, the Department for Transport, Jacobs, Morgan Sindall, Murphy, Network Rail, Systra, TransPennine Express and Volker Rail. Through exposure to different employers and projects, they will develop a wide range of industry knowledge and skills.
The second group of PlanBEE Rail apprentices will undertake placements across Yorkshire, with primary locations being Leeds, Huddersfield and York.
Gordon Kells, Interim Managing Director for Transpennine Route Upgrade, said: “TRU is proud to support and endorse the PlanBEE Rail programme as a founding partner.
We have a number of apprentices currently delivering great work across the route, and we look forward to continuing to develop early talent across the programme into 2025 and beyond.
Their hands-on experience and dedication are shaping the future of transportation in the north and also laying the foundations for their own successful careers ahead.”
Chris Toon, Gateshead College Deputy Principal said: “We’re thrilled to be opening applications for the second cohort of PlanBEE Rail apprentices and that the pilot is proving so successful.
The first apprentices are excelling on the programme and I’m confident they’ll have successful careers in the rail industry.”
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