The Railway Industry Association (RIA) and Women in Rail (WR) have launched a Charter to champion equality, diversity and inclusion in the UK railway industry. The joint ‘Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Charter’ is a commitment to work together to build a more balanced higher performing sector and has been backed by over 100 organisations.
Mission Room announces a new partnership with NTAR (National Training Academy for Rail).
The provision of award-winning Mission Room 360° technology will enable NTAR to integrate shared virtual reality and provide more immersive training methods to enhance their already excellent delivery options.
The collaboration will facilitate an innovative approach to training delivery and support the continual development of future immersive training solutions.
Siemens are showcasing the SeeWomen education project to challenge gender stereotypes. The SeeWomen (Girls in STEM) project aims to inspire and motivate young girls to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM). The project, delivered in association with the Girls’ Schools Association (GSA) will take place at the National Training Academy for Rail (NTAR) and will involve girls from nearby schools.
The benefits of hiring apprentices are well publicised. In a recent poll, 50% of employers found that apprentices stay in their business longer than any other recruits, and 75% say they actively promote their apprenticeship credentials when pitching for new business.
Nationally, the government is still looking to have 3 million new apprentices by the end of its parliament, and in our industry, initiatives like the Rail Sector Skills Delivery Plan and the Transport and Infrastructure Skills Strategy are creating an environment where high quality rail apprenticeship programmes are both attractive and vital. And of course, in many cases, with the Apprenticeship Levy on the horizon, it might actually be of detriment to NOT hire an apprentice.
