London Underground Fleet Engineering Apprenticeship

Job overview

Our Fleet Engineers at London Underground play a vital role in maintaining and upgrading the operational efficiency and safety of our rolling stock. As a Fleet Engineer, your responsibility is crucial in maintaining our entire fleet of trains.

You will be up-to-date of the latest developments, ensuring our assets, both new and legacy, consistently operate at optimal levels. This role is pivotal in the continuous performance and safety of our transportation system.

Sustainability

Sustainability is intrinsic to TfL’s work ethos, and we ensure that we operate in a sustainable way to protect and regenerate the natural world.

What will I be doing?

During your apprenticeship, you will undergo a three-year development program consisting of up to seven placement rotations across London. Our goal is to provide you with a diverse set of skills and experiences essential for a successful career. Recognising that each person's career path is distinct, we tailor every apprentice's journey to be unique. Here's a glimpse of what your journey might entail:

Year 1

In the initial year, you'll be acclimating to both London Underground and the field of engineering. This period will primarily involve delving into fundamental engineering theories at our partner college in Enfield. Following this phase, you will undergo comprehensive training, including all necessary track safety protocols, to enable you to operate confidently around our fleet in various depots. 

Year 2

In your second year, you will actively engage in the operational side of the business, gaining practical insights from seasoned train maintainers across different lines. Your role will involve shadowing teams, progressively building your confidence and practical expertise. Additionally, you will be rotating across our depots, contributing to a well-rounded understanding of our operations. As part of your second year, you will also be released to continue building on fundamental engineering principles at our partner college in Enfield. 

During this phase, you'll develop proficiency in mechanical, electrical, and hand tool usage. Working closely with our dedicated assessor, you'll address a comprehensive range of knowledge questions integral to your qualifications.

Year 3

As you progress into your final year, you will continue rotating through various placements, honing your competencies through diverse methods. The qualifications encompass knowledge assessments and documentation of the practical work you undertake. Ultimately, you will present your finest work to an external engineering institute, obtaining the final endorsement that declares you as a proficient rolling stock engineer. This endorsement, coupled with the completion of your qualifications, will signify that you are ready to roll into a job in depots as a train maintainer.

Where can this career take me?

• Upon successful completion of this scheme, you could roll-off into a Train maintainer position which could develop into opportunities such as Advanced Train Maintainer or Manager positions.    
• At the end of the apprenticeship, you will be at an Engineering Technician professional standard. While there is no requirement, this can be built upon to achieve Engineering Chartership status in the future.
• You’ll also have opportunities to complete additional training courses. These will vary from soft skills training, safety training to technical skills training.  

 
What training and support will you get?

You will be working towards a Level 3 qualification in Railway Engineering Technician (Rolling stock)

Typically, you will be required to attend CONEL college in Enfield, As block placements to complete 4 Mandatory Units that make up your Level 3 Knowledge qualification, remaining 3 Units will be delivered by your Assessor. 

Whilst on the scheme, we’ll support your technical development through a wide range of on-the-job practical experiences and placements. We’ll also support your professional development through a combination of classroom-led training courses, online training courses, mentoring opportunities, and structured networking opportunities. You will receive one-to-one support throughout the programme from your scheme sponsor and your Line Manager. You’ll also be connected to a ‘buddy’ who will be a more experienced apprentice from the scheme.  

What do we look for?

Everything we do as an organisation is to ensure that our evolving city remains future proof for millions of Londoners. Our talented apprentices form a vital part of that vision, so it’s important that we find the best people to help us do this. We’re looking for people who are;

• Proactive
• Logical Thinker
• Willingness to learn

 
As a member of the team, we’ll give you responsibility and the opportunity to add value.  If you are excited by inspiring and influencing the future of London, then this is the career path for you. 

Our core values are extremely important to us, and we desire candidates who are: 

• Caring about our colleagues, our customers and our work 
• Open to each other, to new ideas and to working together 
• Adaptable to diverse needs and willing to innovate  

Important Information

• The apprenticeship scheme will involve working flexible hours to include early, late, night and weekend shifts.
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• There are 12 depots that you could be placed in. These depots are typically found at the end of lines and are all around (north, east and west) London and can last for as long as 4 months.

What Qualifications will I gain?

Level 3 Rail Engineering (Competence)

Level 3 Rail Engineering (Technical Knowledge)