National Apprenticeship Week is a week-long celebration that shines a light on the positive effect that apprenticeships make to individuals, businesses and the wider economy.
Our apprenticeship programmes are a vital part of our people strategy, and key to ensuring we have the talent and skills we need for the future. We have almost 800 apprentices in training across our bus and rail businesses, with 26% of apprentices recruited over the last year being women. We run several industry leading programmes across the UK within a range of fields including Engineering, Human Resources, Customer Service and Business Administration. These programmes bring in the skills we need while also delivering wider economic benefits and social mobility opportunities for young people.
First Bus
First Bus offers a range of apprenticeships, including engineering programmes and bus driver apprentice opportunities. The aim of the bus driver apprenticeship programme is to create a pathway for hundreds of new bus drivers every year, whilst also improving driver retention rates. Successful applicants complete the Bus Driver Level 2 Passenger Transport Apprenticeship over a 13-month period, which includes practical bus driving training provided through their Passenger Carrying Vehicle licence, as well as customer service training and functional skills learning in English and Maths.
Launched in 2021, First Bus also runs the UK’s first dedicated bus and coach engineering facility, Reaseheath College in Cheshire, allowing hundreds of career starters and changers to forge a new path within the transport industry.
On 1 April 2024, First Bus gained Real Living Wage (RLW) employer accreditation. As a result, colleagues across the business in various roles will benefit from a rise in wages. Although the RLW accreditation does not require employers to include apprentices, First Bus are raising their apprentices’ wages to the RLW level over the next 18 months.
First Rail
The companies within our First Rail division, GWR, SWR, Avanti, Hull Trains and Lumo, understand the importance of attracting, retaining and developing talent through apprenticeships.
Lumo, our open access service between London and Edinburgh, working in partnership with leading apprenticeship training provider, Train’d Up, has successfully hired 95% of their workforce through apprenticeships, with more women than men taking part in the scheme last year. They have also partnered with Newcastle College to offer students six-week work placements in the Lumo headquarters in Newcastle, having identified a lack of placement opportunities in the rail sector for students studying travel and tourism.
Apprentices are an integral and valued part of GWR’s business, who run several award-winning schemes across a range of areas including customer services, engineering, and management. Last year, GWR ran a service between London to Cardiff, crewed, driven, dispatched and controlled solely by current and former GWR apprentices, demonstrating the breadth of opportunity and what is possible through their apprenticeship programme.
SWR offer a similar range of schemes, as well operations and HR roles. The programmes offer apprentices expert training, a supportive environment, a competitive salary and on the job experience.
Looking ahead
Apprenticeships will continue to be a key part of our approach to developing new and diverse talent, while growing the skills which are vital to our business. We will continue to innovate and diversify the schemes we provide across our bus and rail businesses, offering colleagues of the future a chance to experience the sector and learn the skills and knowledge required for a career in transport.