Working alongside companies, we aim to develop and deliver training and education programmes focused on the needs of their business and the rail industry
Working with the rail industry
Through our employer engagement and partnership working approach we aim to work closely with the rail industry in meeting its skills needs. Whilst the main function of the Yorkshire Rail Academy is to help meet these needs across the whole of the rail industry; the Rail CoVE provides for the specialist skills required for rail engineering.
Employer Engagement
The YRA through its Rail Industry Group is pro-active in working with employers to meet both existing and future skills needs. This includes the development and provision of rail specific qualifications, rail and generic apprenticeships and NVQs / work-based learning programmes. Through our partnerships and links with other rail training providers we aim to provide a for a wide range of rail engineering skills and rail safety training. The extended expertise within York College and Pure Business Solutions also enables us to work with rail employers in meeting their wider and more general skills needs.
Employers working with the YRA / Rail CoVE include -
- Corus Rail Infrastructure Services
- Clough Smith Simpson Rail
- GNER
- Grant Rail
- Jarvis Rail
- Maintrain
- National Rail Supplies
- Network Rail
- Northern Trains
- Siemens
- Transpennine
- Westinghouse Rail Systems
Partnership Working
Whilst our main focus is to engage with rail employers, we also recognise the importance of building relationships with other stakeholders in the industry. The development of close links and partnership working within the industry is therefore high on the agenda of both the Yorkshire Rail Academy (YRA) and the Rail CoVE. This includes the relevant Sector Skills Councils (SSCs) which are Go-Skills, SEMTA and Skills for Logistics, and with Rail Union Learning. We also aim to link with rail professional institutions such as the IRSE and the P.Way Institute.
The YRA partnership between York College and the NRM also provide useful industry links with the education sector for the promotion of career and progression opportunities in rail engineering for young people. We work closely with rail employers to market these, and to source their recruitment needs.