Dedicated college to teach high speed rail skills
A new kind of college will open its doors in Doncaster this September.
The National College for High Speed Rail is the largest of five national, employer-led colleges being created by the Government to help British students develop world-class skills.
Its mission is to create a highly skilled and diverse workforce for the rail industry of the future. It will play a significant part in addressing the engineering, design, planning, manufacturing and construction skills gap in the sector by training students to design and build rail projects, such as the UK’s new high-speed rail line, HS2.
The courses are designed to fully equip learners to thrive in this growing industry. Classroom teaching will be combined with real work experience, so graduates will be ready to start their career as soon as they finish the course.
The college will have two campuses – one in Doncaster and the other in Birmingham. Both sites will provide learners with the technical skills required to build the country’s new high speed rail network, offering courses to people starting a career in transport infrastructure, and training the existing workforce. Both campuses will get their first intake this September.
The college is set to train 1,000 people every year and aims to become a key contributor to the future success of the North.
The Doncaster campus will focus on rail engineering. The courses will include high-tech engineering, leadership and management, rolling stock, track systems and power. They will ensure that the North has the appropriate skills and labour supply to better connect its major economic centres and drive growth over the coming decades.
Businesses have donated more than £300,000-worth of materials to the college, including 700 metres of rail track for the college’s external training grounds, to ensure that students benefit from honing their skills on industry-leading equipment.
An additional £60,000 from the Department for Transport will go directly towards the National College’s bursary schemes to help eligible students with the cost of studying.
Mayor of Doncaster Ros Jones, said: “The college will enable businesses to tap into highly skilled and qualified rail engineers that could help take them to the next level. For young people looking for a career path into a rewarding and well-paid job in an expanding sector, the college should be high on their agenda”.
The National College for High Speed Rail is set to train 1,000 people every year. Businesses interested in partnering with the college and prospective students can register their interest via nchsr.ac.uk.