Signalling Apprentice Review

S&T Apprentice involved in faulting and maintenance of signalling equipment throughout the railway in Edinburgh. on a day top day basis I am involved in being on stand-by for faults that could be from a points failure on a main line to a track circuit failure. it is a safety critical role and must adhere to safety policies at all times.

Learned how to fault find and maintain signalling components including points, signals and track circuits. I have enjoyed the training courses and learned a vast array of skills throughout. I have also learned team building skills through the ILM certificate and have gained an array of skills from conducting a team brief to role delegation to achieve a task .

I thoroughly enjoy my job at my depot in Edinburgh although I feel the apprenticeship is lacking in several areas from the working standard of the staff working at HMS Sultan to the work given to us in the first year at HMS Sultan and throughout the remaining 2 years. The first year never met my expectations as it involved a tedious process living at HMS Collingwood for 9 months in completing mathematics, health and safety and technical drawing and ILM Level 1 tasks. the only relevant course I did out of 9 months of living there in relation to my actual job responsibilities was a three week course carried out by Network Rail Staff. A staff shortage at HMS Sultan training centre in years 2 & 3 ensured courses to be pushed back and meant that liaising with apprentices back at depots was inconsistent in terms of emailing and giving us time to book travel. in recent times I have encountered admin staff at HMS Sultan to be losing my work on 2 occasions that I have to send down and this has become a frustrating process as the work is essential to completing my NVQ qualification and the admin staff are poor at responding to emails. What I will say is that the WDS staff are very good at their job and are helpful in every aspect. Although I cannot say this about the admin staff. Other work given to us by staff throughout the apprenticeship could use more thought as we were given task books that included tasks very rarely maintained by us at our depots, so for that reason it is very difficult to report about. while this is still the case we have a deadline to meet so it is very difficult to keep to these deadlines. Initially we were given 6 training modules to complete to give us enough competences by the time we pass out and I really enjoyed each course although I am disappointed that one of the 6 courses has been cut to 5 due to staff shortages and the 6th module handed out to apprentices on basis of merit. I find this ridiculous and completely unfair as I have completed and passed every training module and I am receiving good feedback from my WDS trainers as a hard working apprentice but I have not been given the course. therefore I am not being given the same chance and training as other apprentices that have been hand picked by staff at HMS Sultan.

I feel valued as an apprentice and I feel like a member of the team at my depot. In the role of apprentice there is an opportunity to feel more valued although it is important to understand that you will not be as valued due to being new to the job and your main role is to always be learning.

Highly unorganised and the structure throughout the 3 years is very inconsistent. Course dates being chopped and changed throughout 2 years reflects this. I am disappointed that one of the 6 courses has been cut to 5 due to staff shortages and the 6th module handed out to apprentices on basis of merit. I find this ridiculous and completely unfair as I have completed and passed every training module and I am receiving good feedback from my WDS trainers as a hard working apprentice but I have not been given the course. therefore I am not being given the same chance and training as other apprentices that have been hand picked by staff at HMS Sultan.

A staff shortage at HMS Sultan training centre in years 2 & 3 ensured courses to be pushed back and meant that liaising with apprentices back at depots was inconsistent in terms of emailing and giving us time to book travel. in recent times I have encountered admin staff at HMS Sultan to be losing my work on 2 occasions that I have to send down and this has become a frustrating process as the work is essential to completing my NVQ qualification and the admin staff are poor at responding to emails. What I will say is that the WDS staff are very good at their job and are helpful in every aspect. Although I cannot say this about the admin staff. in one email I sent querying the whereabouts of my lost work I was responded by 'I don't like the tone of your email' which is of no help at all as I am purely concerned as to why my work documents are lost.

I have received support from my employer in recent times as a change in management at my depot has ensured I am getting every chance to get my work done and to be made feeling valued to the team and given each opportunity for overtime. this has been the case since I have had a new line manager but before his appointment the opportunity and help was not evident as much.

In the first year the salary equates to around £600 per month which is not at all easy for any apprentice (of all ages) to be able to afford any bills and still have any means of living. Although In this first year food and accommodation is paid for which without, the first year would not be do-able but the salary does not reflect the case that apprentices may have bills or children to pay for back home. The scheme has to take in to account that they are paying £600 a month to apprentices who could be 30 years + with a house and kids back home. Thankfully the salary in years 2 and 3 is completely acceptable for an apprentice living in todays living affordability.

There are opportunities outside of work as you are given the chance of rest weeks so you can still have time for leisure and relaxation outside of the unsociable hours roster. As far as company events are concerned there is no outside of work events that happen.

Yes

The apprenticeship is a good start to getting yourself into a technicians role straight away and the fact you are given courses throughout to prepare yourself is a great start as people who come into the company from outside have a much more difficult time getting courses. The job is challenging at times and there is a mix of tasks involved so every day is different.

Advice that I would give to anyone applying to Network Rail through the apprenticeship scheme is to get your work done and put in as quick as possible. it is important as the deadlines fast approach and the work you need to do for the criteria is not definitely likely to happen.