Rail Sector
What is the Rail Sector? The UK’s rail network is one of the most extensive in the world with a long history. Workers in the sector now build, maintain and operate rail services for passengers and freight.
Workplace trends
Average annual salary
• National Skills Academy for Rail (NSAR) outlines that skill shortages are set to escalate. Up to 120,000 additional people will be required in the sector over the next five to ten years. Between 7,000 and 12,000 additional people will be needed every year by the industry.
£31,595 Percentage of GM workforce working in this sector
1.6%
(21,000 employed)
Approximate number of GM employers
1,600
• Employers in the sector often take special steps to attract female and ethnic minority workers to jobs.
• The largest skills gaps are in engineering, specifically railway design and assurance, but in other areas of civil engineering too.
What do I need to start my career?
• Rail Transport Operatives
• Rail Construction Operative
• Electrical Engineer
• Tram and Train Drivers
• Rail Travel Assistant
• Lead Designer
• Colleges often offer entry level operative courses (level 1-2).
There are a rising number of apprenticeships to move into the sector. Traineeships.
• Rail and Rolling Stock Build and Maintenance
• Civil Engineer
• A range of relevant Apprenticeships at levels 2-5.
• Traffic Management
• Signaller
• Employers training academies.
• Arriva
Shortage and in demand roles
• Network Rail
• GB Railfreight
• Rail Construction Operative
• Signaller
• Freightliner
• HS2
• Steel Fixer
• Electrical Engineer
• Virgin Trains
• Emeg Group
• Groundworker
• Lead Designer
• Civil Engineer
• Effective communication skills
• Numeracy
• Team working
• Problem solving skills
• Customer care
• Project management
• Industry recognised qualifications through the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport and the Institute of Civil Engineering.
Retraining from other sectors, often through schemes like Skills Bootcamps. Sector’s own graduate recruit schemes.
What does the future hold for this sector? • Technical IT and engineering skills • Commercial skills – optimising resources
Want to know more? - Find out more about the rail industry by visiting the National Skills Academy for
Rail, Railway Industry Association or Railway Operators websites. You can also search for an apprenticeship online.
2022
• Advanced Technology High Speed Two (HS2) programme.
Types of qualifications
• Northern Rail
Soft skills
• Ageing workforce and Brexit leave increasing openings for fresh entries to the sector.
Roles that GM employers are currently recruiting for
Who might you work for?
• Rail Freight Group
• Employers often cluster in Manchester City Centre, Trafford, Wigan, Salford and areas close to rail links.
• Specialist areas (such as electrification) due to the rail industry moving towards net zero carbon plans. • Digital transformation is changing some job roles and requires new technical skillsets. • There are new requirements for the Advanced Technology High Speed Two (HS2) programme in two sectors: construction and rail engineering.