Kick-start your career as an
Apprentice Technician with West Midlands Railway
At West
Midlands Railway we aim to
inspire the next generation of engineers through our industry-leading and
hugely successful Apprentice Technician scheme - in partnership with Birmingham Metropolitan College (BMet).
Our engineering apprenticeships
allow people who are new to engineering to earn as they learn, get practical
based training, meet new friends and work with industry professionals.
We caught up with Engineering Apprentice and Apprentice of the Year 2022 winner, Laurie Bower, on his time as an Apprentice Technician at West Midlands Railway and how he became a member of our railway family. Here is what he had to say.
Q&A with Apprentice
Technician – Laurie Bower
What was your motivation for joining West Midlands Railway as an
apprentice?
At the time of my application, I
wanted to change career into the maintenance engineering field and was looking
at various options. I got the impression that West Midlands Railway was
investing quite heavily in their apprentices and were committed to them for the
long term.
In hindsight, the company
offered me a suite of commitments while all they wanted from me in return is to
not waste the opportunity. For someone with no qualifications or experience in
the field it was a life changing opportunity.
What did the application process look like?
I found the opening for the
position on the gov.uk apprenticeship listings which put me in touch with Birmingham Metropolitan
College (BMet). BMet organised a meeting
and aptitude tests then put my application through to West Midlands Railway on
my behalf.
West Midlands Railway and BMet
then held a recruiting day at the BMet James Watt campus where the applicants
underwent team building activities and speed interviews.
I was later invited to attend a
final interview at the company headquarters on Edmund Street where I was asked
a series of questions - mostly relating to personal characteristics. I received
an offer of employment shortly after this which I was ecstatic about!
What does your typical day in the railway look like?
Depending on the requirements
and state of the fleet of trains, the daily work can vary. On some days we will
have large amounts of periodical maintenance and testing to perform, which
ensures the trains remain safe and reliable. This is work which is scheduled
based on things such as the time passed, distances travelled and hours of
active operation.
On other days we may find a fault on a train which requires more extensive investigation and repair. With three fleets of trains each built 10 years apart there is quite a lot of different tasks and systems that we must be familiar with.
How did winning Apprentice of the Year 2022 Award make you feel?
I was extremely flattered to
have been nominated. The company released all the nominations anonymously and I
was surprised by how many people had written such kind things about me.
Truthfully, reading the nominations from the people I work with made me happier than the award itself. I'm only as good as the people around me have facilitated and I owe them so much for the constant patience and help over the years. The credit really belongs to those who supported me through the apprenticeship.
What are your favourite parts of this role?
I quite like working with people towards a common goal, it's nice to see your cumulative effort come together when the train is sent out for service. It's also nice to see our trains rolling around the network taking people where they need to go. It's fulfilling to know our work is integral to the daily lives of a lot of people, albeit indirectly.
How can you apply to become an
Apprentice Technician.
West
Midlands Railway are currently recruiting four Apprentice Technicians to join
their team based at Tyseley in the West Midlands.
The chosen
apprentices will be responsible for help keeping the railway running - ensuring
our trains are safe for passenger service. Some of these duties include
repairing, overhauling, and modifying our trains, as well as undergoing safety
inspections and writing reports.
It is an
exciting time to join the railway industry, with a new fleet in operation and
new ones on the way, you will be at the centre of the railway industry.
So, if you are inquisitive, creative and a collaborative
worker, why not apply to become an Apprentice Technician? To find out more
about the scheme, visit West
Midlands Railway’s Apprenticeship webpage.
