Rail Infrastructure Engineering

Learning Programme Content

The Learning Programme provision shall comprise of three mandatory elements:

• Qualifications,
• Essential Skills
• On/off the job training

The total minimum credit value required for the:

Level 2: Track Maintenance is 77 credits.

Entry requirements

General Entry Requirements

Entrants to this pathway are likely to primarily be school leavers who have completed their GCSE or Welsh Baccalaureate studies, and in some cases relevant vocational activity such as a Pre-Apprenticeship programme or extended work experience.

More specifically they may:

• have previous employment or work experience in the rail sector or
• have completed a 14 to 19 Diploma in Engineering or
• have GCSE's in English, Maths and a Science (grade D to E or higher) or
• have a Welsh Baccalaureate or
• have completed an Enhanced Engineering Programme (formerly Pathways to Apprenticeship programme) or
• be keen and motivated to work in the rail engineering sector or
• be practically minded and want to work with their hands or
• be willing to undertake a course of training both on-the-job and off-the job and apply this learning in the workplace or
• have completed a Pre-Apprenticeship in Engineering or
• other related area or have completed the Essential Skills Wales (ESW) or
• Essential Skills Qualifications (ESQ) or
• have an interest in problem solving and organising activities or
• have completed tests in basic numeracy, literacy and communications skills and have spatial awareness.

Other entrants may have experience from working in the sector, and are now seeking to become qualified by undertaking an apprenticeship programme.

Particular interest would be shown to those applicants who have had previous work experience or employment in the rail sector.

Level 2: Track Maintenance

There are no additional requirements other than the general entry conditions

Apprenticeship pathway learning programme(s)

Level 2: Track Maintenance

Level 2: Track Maintenance Qualifications

Participants must achieve one of the following competence and knowledge qualifications below.

Essential Skills Wales (ESW)

Essential Skills Wales qualifications assessment languages are English-Welsh

On/Off the Job training

On/Off the Job Qualification details (Minimum Credit & Hours)

65 credits for competence and knowledge.

The total amount of learning hours which includes both on and off-the-job training for the Track Maintenance Foundation Apprenticeship is 770.

Pathway duration approximately 18 months depending on the qualification and unit options selected.

On/Off the Job Essential Skills details (Minimum Credit & Hours)

• 6 credits/60 GLH Level 1 Essential Skills Wales Communication
• 6 credits/60 GLH Level 1 Essential Skills Wales Application of Number

Other additional requirements

None

Progression

Progression from Level 2 - Track Maintenance

On completion of the Foundation Apprenticeship, individuals may continue working as Track Operatives or can go on to become team leaders and supervisors.

Equality and diversity

It is important that apprenticeship Pathways are inclusive and can demonstrate an active approach to identifying and removing barriers to entry and progression. Pathways should advance equality of opportunity between persons who share protected characteristics and those persons who do not as identified in the Equality Act 2010.

The Protected characteristics identified in the Equality Act are age, disability, gender re-assignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity. Marriage and civil partnership is also included although only in respect of the requirement to eliminate discrimination in employment.

Training providers and employers MUST also comply with the other duty under the Equality Act 2010 to ensure that applicants are not discriminated against in terms of entry to the industry based upon those nine protected characteristics.

Within the rail engineering industry, only about 4.4% of the workforce are women. The percentage of the workforce that is Black Asian and Minority Ethnic is also lower than the national average, at 5%.

Semta recognises the training and business benefits of having apprentices from a wide variety of diverse backgrounds. We are committed to ensuring equality and diversity drives all aspects of apprentice selection and recruitment. Equal opportunity and diversity refers to the active elimination of unlawful or unfair discrimination against any person or group.

Semta wishes to make a Gender Equality Commitment. Semta has signed the United Kingdom Resource Centre (UKRC) CEO's charter in a bid to step up female recruitment in its key sectors and programmes. Due to impending skills gaps it is estimated that 204,000 people will be required to be recruited and trained between 2010-2016 within Semta’s sectors of Rail (18,700) aerospace, automotive, composites, electrical, electronics, maintenance, marine, mathematics, metals and engineered metal products, renewables and science.

The UKRC is the Government’s leading body for advanced gender equality in science, engineering and technology (SET) and the CEO’s charter is a formal commitment to the UKRC’s agenda to challenge the under-representation of women in SET. Women make up 50% of the labour market, yet they make up less than 20% of the labour market in science, engineering and technology.

The UKRC believes that only a concerted effort by the SET industry will break down the gender barriers that exist in traditionally male dominated environments and we want to be part of a new consensus which will create an inclusive working environment for women. The manufacturing industries in which this pathway operates are traditionally dominated by a white, male workforce. However, faced with an ageing workforce and the probability of skill shortages we must look to attract new entrants from a much more diverse recruitment pool. This means that all young people and adults considering engineering and manufacturing as a career are welcome.

Providers of apprenticeship training including employers must be able to demonstrate that there are no overt or covert discriminatory practices in the selection and employment of apprentices. This can be demonstrated by implementing a Single Equality Scheme (SES). The new Equality Duty (part of the Single Equality Bill) introduced to the public sector requires all public sector bodies to produce a SES combining their current race, disability and gender schemes and should be recognised by all providers of apprenticeship training. The implementation of a SES demonstrates the organisation's commitment to equality and diversity by identifying new and improved ways of working to ensure the organisation is more efficient and effective in meeting the diverse needs of both staff and customers.

All those who recruit apprentices, be they colleges, training providers or employers, must comply with the Equality act of 2010 and apply the Equality and Diversity legislation taking full account of the following:

•          The Sex Discrimination Act 1975 and Code of Practice

•          The Race Relations Act 1976 and Code of Practice

•          The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and Code of Practice

•          Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations 2003

•          Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2003

•          Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006

•          The Equality Act 2010

Providers of apprenticeship training and employers must also actively monitor equality of opportunity and diversity procedures and take positive action where necessary to ensure equal access and treatment for all. Apprenticeships must be seen as a vital route to encourage and facilitate long term change in the equality and diversity of the engineering industry, therefore entry conditions into this pathway are extremely flexible. All effort should be made to increase the diversity of our apprentice population.

Employment responsibilities and rights

Employment Responsibilities and Rights (ERR) is no longer compulsory.  But it is recommended that all apprentices (especially the 16 years -18 year group) receive a company induction programme.

Responsibilities

It is the responsibility of the Training Provider and Employer to ensure that the requirements of this pathway are delivered in accordance with the Welsh Government/Medr Apprenticeships Guidance.

Further information may be obtained from: Medr

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