More than 300 new staff with no previous experience are being taken on by rail operator Northern to work on its train fleet.
The company is looking to hire 108 drivers and 198 conductors with training taking place via paid apprenticeships in Manchester and Leeds, but jobs are available across the north of England, including in Newcastle, Darlington, Barrow-in-Furness and York.
The firm said the starting salary for drivers was £23,000 a year, rising to £54,500 after recruits had completed a 64-week training course.
The training for conductors lasts 16 weeks, with a starting salary of £22,000, rising to £29,000 after the course is completed.
Northern Trains apprenticeships
Northern Trains seeks engineering apprentices
Lack of work experience barring candidates from entry-level jobs
Northern Trains currently employs more than 2,000 drivers and 1,400 conductors.
Earlier this year it launched a recruitment drive for engineering apprentices.
Tricia Williams, chief operating officer at Northern, said parents who had previously stayed at home to look after children and former service men and women were among the targets for the company. She added people who had never considered a career in rail would be welcome.
“We have a range of rewarding roles for anyone who wants to become part of a dedicated team, which runs more than 2,500 services a day, to over 500 destinations,” said Williams.
Anton Roe, chief executive at HR and payroll provider at MHR, said Northern’s recruitment drive was an excellent example of how companies could use apprenticeships to nurture talent.
This was vital, he said because companies across the UK were facing unparalleled recruitment challenges and a widening skills gap.
Roe added: “Too often, those starting out on their career have the misconception that they either have to have a degree, or a range of notable work experience placements to secure a job in their chosen field. This apprenticeship scheme is an important reminder that this is not the case, and many companies are much more worried about getting the right people through the door and training them in-house.”
Williams added: “We want our workforce to reflect the communities we serve and we’re proud to include people from all walks of life in our team, from military veterans and ex-police officers, to former office workers and stay-at-home parents.”
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