Our new Rail Training Centre at City of Wolverhampton College was opened by Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands and Councillor Ian Brookfield, leader of Wolverhampton Council, on September 29th.
Download our Rail Training Brochure here.
Our new Rail Training Centre at Wolverhampton College’s Wellington Road Campus in Bilston has more than 40 metres of railway track so students are able to learn the skills needed to build and maintain rail lines.
National Infrastructure Solutions will deliver rail training, from beginner to advanced level, specifically for the construction of high-speed rail lines like HS2 at the centre.
The facility is the first in the UK to offer training on slab track technology and it will also provide training on traditional rail and tram lines and is equipped with installation and maintenance equipment.
Courses are available for newcomers to the sector who want to gain skills that employers are looking for, as well as those already working in the rail industry and want to upskill or develop their knowledge further.
The centre will also run free rail training courses for people who are registered as unemployed through a sector-based work academy programme (SWAP). The six-week scheme will offer pre-employment training, on-site work experience and a guaranteed job interview with an industry employer looking to recruit new staff.
The launch comes just a few days after the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) announced a bid to Government that could secure further transport investment of up to £2 billion over the next five years to fund new rail lines, stations and tram routes across the region.
This is in addition to new tram lines currently being built in Birmingham and Wolverhampton city centre. Between Wednesbury and Brierley Hill as well as the reopening of the Camp Hill rail line in south Birmingham with new stations at Moseley, Kings Heath and Hazelwell.
The Mayor said: “We are already seeing unprecedented investment in our transport network with new Metro routes, five new railway stations, state-of-the-art climate-friendly buses, and new cycling and walking infrastructure – all on top of the billions being invested by the Government in HS2.
“But these projects are just the start of our plans to revolutionise public transport in the West Midlands, and so with billions of pounds worth of more investments lined up we need to make sure that local people have the skills they need to take advantage of all the jobs that will be created.
“This new Rail Training Centre, in the heart of Wolverhampton with its excellent facilities, will help make that happen.”
The training centre has been developed in partnership with the WMCA, ISS Labour a leading supplier of professional services to the rail industry, Rhomberg Sersa a railway engineering service provider, and Sunbelt Rentals, a plant tools and equipment supplier; with personal protective equipment for all students donated by specialist rail supplier Safeaid.
Facilities on the site are due to be further expanded with the installation of a catenary system, enabling overhead line training to be offered by Amey Rail.
Michael Dixon, head of faculty for technology, creative and academic studies at the college, said: “With the construction of HS2 and improvements to the wider rail network in the West Midlands, there will be an increasing demand for trained rail operatives in the areas.
“The new centre is a further expansion of the services provided at the Wellington Road campus and will enable us to provide high-quality rail training to local people of all ages and abilities, from beginner to advanced level.”
Cllr Ian Brookfield, leader of City of Wolverhampton Council, said: “There are billions of pounds of investment on site or in the pipeline in the City of Wolverhampton and it is important residents benefit from this.
“This includes opportunities like our award-winning city centre Interchange where the Metro is being connected directly to the front entrance of our new railway station.
“The Rail Training Centre facilities at City of Wolverhampton College will give unemployed people a clear route into the train and tram sector, boosting skills and adding to the pace of regeneration in the city and the wider region.”
Richard Priest, Midlands director at Sunbelt Rentals said: “There are a whole host of exciting careers currently available for local people within the rail, rental and wider construction and infrastructure industries.
"We are proud to help ensure that students learn their skills using the same leading-edge equipment as the main contractors, which helps with their transition to employment once qualified.”
Download our Rail Training Brochure here.
30 September 2021 at 09:00:00
