SOUTH Western Railway (SWR) is marking National Apprenticeship Week by celebrating the achievements of its many apprentices.
SWR’s apprenticeship scheme develops talent through specific training, providing young people with the skills and experience they need to thrive across the railway industry.
In 2022, the scheme was expanded and SWR became the only train operator to welcome applicants between the ages of 16 and 18, through its Young Talent Apprenticeship (YTA) programme.
It immediately proved to be popular as 70 applicants applied for just eight roles and, three years later, six of those initial YTAs are now working in full-time, permanent positions.
Last year, SWR received more than 600 applications for just 24 roles in its apprenticeship programmes, underlining its popularity.
Artur Matyjasik was one of the eight to join the first YTA programme. Working as a rail operator at London Waterloo, one of the country’s biggest and busiest stations, he was responsible for the safety of thousands of customers every day.
With no prior experience, but a strong determination to work in the industry, he was supported by his many colleagues who helped him make a success of his first ever job.
“I started off as a member of platform staff at London Waterloo. Initially I was a bit anxious, but my colleagues, the station managers and supervisors were incredibly helpful, and it became a fantastic place to work.
“As my apprenticeship progressed, I gained a lot of experience working in different places and roles, which gave me a wide range of skills that helped me be successful. It was a fantastic opportunity to get valuable work experience as well as develop professionally.”
Having successfully completed his apprenticeship, Artur is now working as a guard on SWR services between Guildford and London Waterloo, and what he learned in his apprenticeship was invaluable.
“All those different skills I learned during my apprenticeship are essential to what I do every day and I love the responsibility that I have now.
“I’m in charge of my trains and responsible for the safety of our customers, working hard to keep services on time while communicating with my drivers and the control room.”
Katie Pierce was also part of the 2022 apprenticeship programme. She joined the Leadership Talent Apprenticeship (LTA) scheme, which introduces apprentices to a variety of roles where strong management skills are vitally important.
Katie, who had been working in a local supermarket, joined the scheme and spent time with the safety and security teams, learning a lot along the way.
“I had a lot of memorable moments in my apprenticeship but doing so many placements all over the company in different functions really stands out.
“It was great to learn from those who had experienced much more than me and find out how their areas worked. I also gained some really valuable skills - most importantly, people skills.
Still only 21 years old, Katie is now in the vital role of guards manager in Farnham, responsible for colleagues who work on busy train services to destinations on SWR’s suburban routes. She has since gone on to achieve the qualifications she needs to assess guards and respond to incidents on the railway.
“My apprenticeship opened so many doors with training courses and shadowing opportunities. I had the goal of being a guards manager in mind and everything I learned was a big part of why I eventually got this role.
“My advice to anyone thinking of an apprenticeship is to do it - you have to make some sacrifices to get all the work done, but you learn a lot that you can take with you wherever you go.”
Tim Culver, South Western Railway’s Senior Learning & Development Manager, said:
“National Apprenticeship Week allows us to reflect on the amazing contribution that our apprentices are making in all kinds of roles, across our vast network.
“As Artur and Katie have shown, an apprenticeship on the railway can be very rewarding. Both have worked in multiple roles with a variety of different teams, giving them a wealth of experience very early in their careers.
“Whether it’s young people looking for their very first experience of work, or those looking for something completely different, there’s so much opportunity through our Young Talent Apprenticeship and Leadership Talent Apprenticeship schemes.”
