Northern Rail search for 16 engineering apprentices to take up roles in Newcastle: how to apply

Northern Rail has issued a call for prospective engineering apprentices to apply for one of 16 roles in Heaton, Newcastle and join a team responsible for maintaining and enhancing its fleet of trains. Whilst the vacancies are open to all, the operator is targeting its recruitment campaign at school and college-leavers (aged 16-22) with a minimum of five GCSEs including English, maths and science

The focus on young people is designed to help nurture the next generation of railway engineers and engineering leaders, Northern stated regarding the new roles. The apprentices will be based at one of five ‘TrainCare Centres’ across the North of England, including: Heaton in Newcastle, Botanic Gardens in Hull, Neville Hill in Leeds, Newton Heath in Manchester and Allerton in Liverpool.

Successful applicants will stand to earn a starting salary £15,817 per annum, rising to £18,963 per annum during the apprenticeship. Apprentices will also spend their first year at Myerscough College in Preston with accommodation arranged and provided through Northern. The college will provide apprentices with a classroom-based environment to work on engineering skills and mentoring and support from tutors throughout the process.

The following years of the apprenticeship will be spent within the Train Depot (Train Care Centre), working hands-on and learning from dedicated trainers and peers to help build more knowledge to give a practical experience. Apprentices will have a number of placements in different departments and upon completion of the apprenticeship, successful applicants will be qualified to apply for a “variety of different roles with the opportunity of progressing to further study at a higher level”.

Alongside the starting salary and education, apprentices can also enjoy employment perks including free travel on Northern services, including partners/spouses and dependents, a 75% discount with other Train Operating Companies and discounted travel on many other rail services in the UK and Europe after completing two years with the company.

How do I apply for the apprenticeship with Northern Rail?

To apply for one of the 16 engineering apprenticeship roles with Northern, applicants can visit the Northern careers website to sign up and apply for the position. Candidates ideally should have a keen interest in Engineering/STEM and a desire to succeed and progress, at least 5 GCSEs with gained or predicted grades A to C or 9 to 4 including English and a Science at a grade 9 – 5/A-C in Maths.

Successful applicants will also need to have a medical assessment and a drugs and alcohol screening.