This Apprenticeship Week, South Western Railway (SWR) has become the first rail company in the country to have been awarded Investors in People’s (IIP) brand new ‘We invest in apprentices’ accreditation.
The business is one of nine organisations to have received the accreditation, which recognises those employers offering the most successful and powerful apprenticeship programmes.
This means that SWR is the only organisation in the world to have been awarded all three types of accreditation that IIP offer: people, wellbeing and apprenticeships.
To secure this new award, SWR was required to go through a robust assessment process and demonstrate how they are committed to hiring apprentices for the right reasons, serious about career development and actively ensuring that apprentices are supported at all times.
In 2018, SWR introduced its new apprenticeship scheme, REACh (the Railway Employee Apprenticeship Challenge). A range of apprenticeship programmes are available through this, including leadership, customer service, project management and engineering, and many come with nationally recognised professional qualifications. To date, 371 SWR colleagues have signed up to an apprenticeship, with apprentices making up 3 percent of the entire SWR workforce in 2019/20.
Commenting, Rob Hulson, SWR’s Engineering Apprentice and Graduate Manager said:
“Here at SWR, we know that our people are our greatest asset. That’s why we work hard to attract the best apprentices and give them all the support and development opportunities they need to become the railway leaders of tomorrow.
“An apprenticeship with SWR is a wonderful opportunity to develop skills and build a fantastic career. Every year we publicise apprenticeship opportunities, and I’d urge any aspiring railway apprentices to apply!”
Investors in People CEO Paul Devoy said:
“I am delighted that South Western Railway has achieved We invest in apprentices accreditation, thus becoming the only organisation in the world to currently hold We invest in people, We invest in wellbeing and We invest in apprentices. This level of commitment to their people is outstanding and everyone at South Western Railway should be incredibly proud. We look forward to working with everyone at South Western Railway for many years to come!”
Shannon Fox, a SWR Planning Manager who was formally an apprentice said:
“I wouldn’t be doing the job I’m doing now without the SWR apprentice scheme, so I’m really pleased it has been recognised in this way. A SWR apprenticeship is a great way to start a career on the railway – I’d recommend them to anyone!”
Commenting on the new IIP ‘We invest in apprentices’ accreditation, The Minister for Apprenticeships and Skills, Gillian Keegan said:
“Apprenticeships are a fantastic way to learn while you earn, opening up new and exciting career paths, from cyber security to accountancy. They will play a vital role in our Plan for Jobs, helping to create and protect jobs as we build back better after the pandemic. I am delighted to support the launch of the We invest in apprentices blueprint and a huge thank you to the organisations that took part in developing this pioneering initiative. Ensuring that employers offer high quality apprenticeships will make sure that people of all ages and backgrounds have the chance to get ahead and businesses are able to access the skills they need to thrive. I encourage every organisation that offers apprenticeships to gain this new accreditation.”
Notes to editor
Find out more about IIP’s apprenticeship accreditation here: https://www.investorsinpeople.com/accreditations/we-invest-in-apprentices/
The 14th annual National Apprenticeship Week is taking place from 8 to 14 February 2021. National Apprenticeship Week is an annual week-long celebration of apprenticeships across England and is a time to recognise and applaud apprenticeship success stories across the country.
