Network rail apprenticeship or general engineering??

[Sosaa247]

I am due to start a level 3 engineering apprenticeship with a manufacturing company as a manufacturing maintenance technician. This will go into both mechanical and electrical .

However I have seen that network rail have opened their apprenticeship applications for next year recently and I don’t know which one to choose : go ahead with my current one or choose the Netwo

The general apprenticeship has much better pay than the network rail one and will start this month compared to network rail which is March next year .
However the network rail one is 3 years and the other 4 .

I’m really not sure on which one to choose ?

To help me decide I have some questions.
Firstly - does anyone know how much you will make with network rail the first year after you finish your apprenticeship with them ? Is there an average estimate ?

Also , if I was to go ahead and stay on my current apprenticeship as a manufacturing maintenance technician, would it be possible for me in the future to work for network rail as a technician? Even though my experience would have been in a manufacturing setting rather than a railway setting?
How would I go about getting a job with them

anyone who has any experience/ advice please do give it to me as I am very confused and Unsure at the moment .

Thanks

 

[GuyGibsonVC]

The NR scheme is a good scheme to be in as, such is the size of the business, there are many different routes that an apprentice can go down. Once you have served your time, you automatically go in as Technician, which the base salary is around £26,000 - £30,000 and then you have shift enhancements and overtime on top of that. I know apprentices who have went into the Technical grades and are earning very good money and are in their early 20's.

It is competitive but if you're willing to put the work in, there is a very good career for you.

 

[Sosaa247]

The NR scheme is a good scheme to be in as, such is the size of the business, there are many different routes that an apprentice can go down. Once you have served your time, you automatically go in as Technician, which the base salary is around £26,000 - £30,000 and then you have shift enhancements and overtime on top of that. I know apprentices who have went into the Technical grades and are earning very good money and are in their early 20's.

It is competitive but if you're willing to put the work in, there is a very good career for you.

yeah that sounds great . The only problem for me is I am about to start another engineering apprenticeship next week and the NR ones start in March .

However I really do still want to work for them .
do you know if it’s possible for me to be able to work for them after I finish my Current apprenticeship which is in maintenance but more to do with manufacturing.
like wouldn’t I have to do any training with them beforehand ?

By that point I would already have a level 3 in engineering and 4 years experience from my current apprenticeship.

how would I go about getting a job with them ?

 

[alxndr]

There is no easy answer to this.

The options you have are:

1. Take the manufacturing apprenticeship and forget about the railway for now
2. Take the manufacturing apprenticeship, also apply for Network Rail, and leave the manufacturing apprenticeship if you get the Network Rail apprenticeship
3. Decline the offer of the manufacturing apprenticeship and apply for Network Rail

Option 1 has the benefit of a guaranteed offer of an apprenticeship, and should learn some useful skills from it. If you still want to work on the railway when you finish then you can look for Network Rail jobs then, although it might take a while to get one.

Option 2 would leave yourself with a backup option if you weren’t successful in getting the Network Rail apprenticeship. You would, however, need to check that you wouldn’t be required to pay back any training fees if you left the manufacturing apprenticeship early. If you find that you really enjoy manufacturing or don’t get an offer from Network Rail then you can stay with the manufacturing apprenticeship. If you don’t get an offer for a spot on the Network Rail apprenticeship then you can always apply another year or for a role when you finish as per Option 1.

Option 3 is quite risky. Network Rail apprenticeships are quite popular and there’s no guarantee that you’d get one if you did apply. You’d also have to find something to do from now until then. I’m not sure I’d want to be left without any guarantees of employment in the current situation.

If it was me, I would be going with either option 1 or 2. I'd also think about why you want to join Network Rail as that might help you decide what you want to do. Do you like the idea of working outside (in all weathers)? Do you just want to be around trains?

To answer your questions:

How much will you earn the first year after finishing a Network Rail apprenticeship?

It depends on the role and grade that you come out as, and where.

The basic salary could be anywhere from £25,000-36,000. It will more likely be the lower end of the scale, but there are also shift allowances and overtime to consider.

Could you join Network Rail after an apprenticeship elsewhere?

Yes, people can join Network Rail without having done a railway apprenticeship, however, it can be be very difficult to get a job “off the street”. Anyone who has railway experience is likely to have the upper hand when it comes to applying. Those who are familiar with shiftwork and/or working outdoors can also be looked upon favourably as well, which is probably a bit different to manufacturing. It’s not impossible, but it probably won’t be easy.

How would you go about getting a job with them “off the street”?

Apply via their website https://www.networkrail.co.uk/careers/careers-search/

Would you need training even if you’d done an apprenticeship in manufacturing maintenance?

Yes. There is specific training for the railway. For example, there is a training course for each type of signalling equipment, and if you aren’t competent to work on that particular type of equipment then you can’t touch it. There may well be quite a few transferable skills, but you would still need additional training. That training would be provided by Network Rail though.

 

[Jason.bourne]

Any one have any idea what sort of ages are accepted onto the apprenticeship program at network rail?

 

[bouff34]

Any one have any idea what sort of ages are accepted onto the apprenticeship program at network rail?

try a google search on Network Rail Apprenticeships... won't take long! I know that sounds flippant but people on here are more than happy to assist with things that aren't readily available on the internet.

 

[Sosaa247]

There is no easy answer to this.

The options you have are:

1. Take the manufacturing apprenticeship and forget about the railway for now
2. Take the manufacturing apprenticeship, also apply for Network Rail, and leave the manufacturing apprenticeship if you get the Network Rail apprenticeship
3. Decline the offer of the manufacturing apprenticeship and apply for Network Rail

Option 1 has the benefit of a guaranteed offer of an apprenticeship, and should learn some useful skills from it. If you still want to work on the railway when you finish then you can look for Network Rail jobs then, although it might take a while to get one.

Option 2 would leave yourself with a backup option if you weren’t successful in getting the Network Rail apprenticeship. You would, however, need to check that you wouldn’t be required to pay back any training fees if you left the manufacturing apprenticeship early. If you find that you really enjoy manufacturing or don’t get an offer from Network Rail then you can stay with the manufacturing apprenticeship. If you don’t get an offer for a spot on the Network Rail apprenticeship then you can always apply another year or for a role when you finish as per Option 1.

Option 3 is quite risky. Network Rail apprenticeships are quite popular and there’s no guarantee that you’d get one if you did apply. You’d also have to find something to do from now until then. I’m not sure I’d want to be left without any guarantees of employment in the current situation.

If it was me, I would be going with either option 1 or 2. I'd also think about why you want to join Network Rail as that might help you decide what you want to do. Do you like the idea of working outside (in all weathers)? Do you just want to be around trains?

To answer your questions:

How much will you earn the first year after finishing a Network Rail apprenticeship?

It depends on the role and grade that you come out as, and where.

The basic salary could be anywhere from £25,000-36,000. It will more likely be the lower end of the scale, but there are also shift allowances and overtime to consider.

Could you join Network Rail after an apprenticeship elsewhere?

Yes, people can join Network Rail without having done a railway apprenticeship, however, it can be be very difficult to get a job “off the street”. Anyone who has railway experience is likely to have the upper hand when it comes to applying. Those who are familiar with shiftwork and/or working outdoors can also be looked upon favourably as well, which is probably a bit different to manufacturing. It’s not impossible, but it probably won’t be easy.

How would you go about getting a job with them “off the street”?

Apply via their website https://www.networkrail.co.uk/careers/careers-search/

Would you need training even if you’d done an apprenticeship in manufacturing maintenance?

Yes. There is specific training for the railway. For example, there is a training course for each type of signalling equipment, and if you aren’t competent to work on that particular type of equipment then you can’t touch it. There may well be quite a few transferable skills, but you would still need additional training. That training would be provided by Network Rail though.

After discussing the issue with my family we have agreed that it’s better for me to go on with the manufacturing maintenance technician apprenticeship- due to earlier start date , better apprentice pay and more flexibility in the future .

However I still have my mind set on working with Network Rail after I have completed the 4 years .
I think what I may do is after competing the apprenticeship at the manufacturing com there is a high chance I will be offered a job at the place and in that first year of working I’ll just apply to as many Network Rail jobs as I can and try to get accepted .

Also this role I’m doing does have shift work which starts towards the end so I guess that’s an advantage .

question I have is let’s say I am successful at one of the NR roles after my apprenticeship ,roughly how long would training take with them ? I’m hoping under 12 months ?

Also is there anyone here , or someone who knows of or has heard of anyone who has done what I am trying to do : as in move into network rail after completing a different apprenticeship?


Thanks

 

[alxndr]

That sounds like a sensible decision. I hope it works out well for you.

question I have is let’s say I am successful at one of the NR roles after my apprenticeship ,roughly how long would training take with them ? I’m hoping under 12 months ?

How long is a piece of string?

You should the basic courses fairly quickly, but more specific ones will take longer to get. That doesn't mean you wouldn't be able to do anything though, there will always be things that you can do and learn as you're going.

 

[Jason.bourne]

try a google search on Network Rail Apprenticeships... won't take long! I know that sounds flippant but people on here are more than happy to assist with things that aren't readily available on the internet.

The age range is 18 plus...
As with a trainee driver job this a huge age range. I simply asked my question encase anyone had experience as an apprentice and could shed light on what sort of ages were on the courses.
thanks for suggesting google though!

 

[alxndr]

There isn't an upper age limit so could be anything over 18. Most were probably between 18-24 but there were a few older. I think the oldest in my year was mid-thirties.