A new Rail Skills Academy for young people, aged 18 to 24, has been announced by QTS and South Lanarkshire Council, supported by Network Rail.

The Rail Skills Academy, which is being delivered by QTS Training on behalf on Network Rail, is funded through South Lanarkshire Council. It forms part of the legacy programme for the East Kilbride Enhancement Project.

There will be a skills assessment day for the programme, which will run on Friday 9th August from 10am – 1230pm at the Routes to Work South office, The Plaza, East Kilbride.

Aimed at young people living in South Lanarkshire and currently out of employment, it will help to combat the skills shortage and lack of diversity in the rail industry. With over 48% of railway workers aged 50 or over and women making up just 16% of the current workforce, action is being taken to create a knowledgeable, diverse and qualified workforce for the future.

Based at the East Kilbride Enhancement project site, the course will equip participants with the competencies, skills and experience required to thrive in the railway maintenance sector. From employability and core skills, to health and safety, track safety and track induction, as well as the SQA Level 4 Practical Skills for Employment qualification, young people who complete the academy will be on track to start their new career.

Each academy session will run for 10 weeks, with transportation provided to and from the site for participants.

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As a proud supporter of young people, and an Investors in Young People Platinum Award employer, QTS aims to help them discover the wide range of possibilities that the railway sector has to offer.

Lorna Gibson, Managing Director, QTS Training, said: "Scotland's Railway and its supply chain are creating many initiatives to combat the skills gap within our industry and, as a lead contractor working in this sector, QTS has been developing a range of programmes, including apprenticeships, traineeships and graduate development to encourage young people to join the industry.

"This will be the 8th cohort of QTS Rail Skills Academy trainees and we are delighted to bring the opportunity for the first time to South Lanarkshire. The programme has a current success rate of 97% of employment following graduation, which shows there is a demand for these young people within the industry.

"The work being carried out on the East Kilbride line is the perfect opportunity to provide work experience and for the young people to gain the qualifications, competencies and initial experience required to progress through what can prove to be a thriving career."

Councillor Robert Brown, Chair of South Lanarkshire Council's Community and Enterprise Resources, said: "This is a great initiative providing opportunities for young people and developing a talented workforce for South Lanarkshire.

"Taking part in meaningful work experience and training is a key component to support young people into sustainable employment. South Lanarkshire Council is delighted to be working in partnership with QTS and Routes to Work South to provide opportunities for young people to develop their skills and progress to employment opportunities within the rail industry."

Gerry McQuade, Network Rail capital delivery director, said: "We're delighted to support this initiative once again, following on from our previous involvement with the Rail Skills Academy during the delivery of the Levenmouth Rail Link project in Fife.

"The work currently underway by Network Rail and our contractor partners to electrify the East Kilbride to Glasgow line is multidisciplinary and as such, provides a great opportunity for the Academy's recruits to gain invaluable insights. Part of their training will be hands-on to help them understand the skills and roles involved in delivering complex engineering projects on Scotland's Railway. We will also highlight the various paths that can lead into a successful career in our industry.

"The project team is really looking forward to welcoming the recruits later in the summer. I am confident they will reap the same rewards at those who took park at Levenmouth, where all the young people secured gainful employment following the successful completion of the course."