A railway company is looking for the trainee engineers to join its ranks.
East Midlands Railway (EMR) needs apprentices to join its busy fleet engineering team, working at its maintenance depots in Derby and Nottingham.
It has issued a recruitment appeal during National Apprenticeship Week, offering potential new starters the chance to “learn on the job”.
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They will help a team of more than 250 maintenance staff look after a fleet of more than 100 trains which run on Midland Mainline services between London and Sheffield and routes across the East Midlands.
The EMR Fleet Apprenticeship Programme offers the chance to gain qualifications and practical on-the-job training while working for a big company and earning a salary.
Apprentices are trained to Level Three standard, learning about electrical and mechanical engineering, and gaining practical experience. The skills gained could become the foundations of careers in the fleet engineering team.
Existing apprentice Mason Johnson three years into his training.
He said: “You gain a good understanding and versatility within an engineering environment by conducting tasks which test your mechanical and electrical abilities.
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“Not one day is the same within our depots, we come across planned maintenance, repair work, test runs and preparation of our 15x units prior to them going out into service.
“You will get to know the different shift teams you work with and become close to them along the way.
“Overall being an apprentice at EMR has been a great experience for me and taught me lots about engineering both electrically and mechanically.”
Ellie Nugent, a year two EMR fleet engineer apprentice, said: “A typical day starts at either 5am or 6am depending on the shift time.
“I get to work, and I will do any jobs that have been allocated for that day.
“After work, I shower and head home for about 4pm. I then start doing my college work and revising for any assignments we have. I do this on Wednesdays and Thursdays as well.
“On Tuesdays, we have online lessons that start at 8.45am and finish at 12.30pm. I will then start any assignments that are set, as we usually have one from each of the three lessons.
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“On Fridays, I aim to finish the assignments that were set for the week.”
George Wilkinson, a third year EMR fleet engineer apprentice, said: “The exam work is based on pre-planned, preventative maintenance, and as a team of seven we will work through the exam job sheet to make sure all jobs are done to a high standard and are accounted for.
“The work itself is varied and what jobs you work on will change every day.
“For example, on Monday you may be measuring wheels, and changing brake blocks/pads, and on Friday you could be completing an earth fault test and re-wiring a lighting system.
“Alternatively, on days where there isn’t an exam planned, we will be working on other vehicles, conducting work such as an engine change, radiator swap or dropping and changing a gearbox, which is heavier maintenance.”
Kate Holden, HR Director for EMR said: “Our Fleet Engineer Apprentices are our future talent. They bring diversity of experience and thought, new ideas and a fresh approach that helps to drive our business forward.
“We offer a four -year programme designed to give practical on the job training. The work involves time in our Fleet Engineering depots, and the classroom helping to give them all the underpinning knowledge they need to be successful in their apprenticeship.
“We are committed to providing top class programmes that will equip them with the knowledge, skills and behaviours they need to reach their full potential.”
EMR will be going through some significant changes over the next few years and its fleet renewal is at the heart of a £600 million investment programme.
The closing date for apprentice applicants, via the East Midlands Railway website, is Sunday February, 21.