Keeping apprentice rail infrastructure operators on the right track with Onefile

As you may have seen in the news, a major new £45bn rail infrastructure project has been announced for the North of England.

Northern Powerhouse Rail will, says the government, deliver faster and more frequent rail services across the North – better connecting Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds, Bradford, Sheffield and York, and improving services to Newcastle and Hull.

Billed as ‘the biggest travel upgrade in the North in a generation,’ the scheme is designed to drive economic growth in the region by boosting investment in communities. This includes supporting new skilled jobs for the planning, development, design and construction of the rail project.

Working on the railways

Aside from project management, the UK rail industry offers a wide range of career opportunities in everything from engineering and infrastructure to frontline train operations and behind the scenes service support.

And, to ensure the sector meets its skills needs, it offers a number of different apprenticeships, including programmes offered via Network Rail.

Among these roles is the level 3 rail infrastructure operator apprenticeship, which provides training in the operation of signal and electric controls needed to keep trains running safely and on time.

Rail infrastructure operator level 3 apprenticeship

Rail infrastructure operators work across the UK’s integrated rail system, including its mainline, local rail and underground networks, and high-speed rail lines. Depending on the type of network, they can be based in either a small control room location or a major operations control room and are occasionally required trackside. They usually work shift patterns, helping to keep the network safe 24/7.

Operators’ duties include controlling train movements in line with planned timetables and returning the network to normal operation following an incident or disruption. Responsible for managing their area of control, they will be aware of and must respond to reports of any concerns or issues, such as trespassers or animals on the line.

Once completed, the level 3 can lead to permanent rail industry roles such as control room operator, signaller, traffic manager and train service control manager.

This occupation standard was last updated in October 2024, with the end point assessment plan currently undergoing revision. The apprenticeship takes around 18 months to gateway and attracts maximum funding of £15,000. Crossrail, Network Rail, HS1, TfL (Transport for London) and Southwest train operating company GWR were all involved in creating the standard.

‘Covering the points’ – How Onefile can help rail infrastructure operator apprentices stay on track

Keeping Britain’s trains running safely and on time is a highly responsible job so understandably there’s a lot to learn on this apprenticeship programme.

Fortunately, Onefile’s suite of learner management applications can make the whole learning journey run more smoothly, helping apprentices, their employers and training providers keep to their timetable and stay on track. For more information, book a discovery call.