Tube Lines, the company rebuilding London Underground’s busiest lines, has opened a £10m Skills Training Centre in east London
As well as providing general training for Tube Lines, the centre will provide signalling skills and engineering training programmes against a backdrop of a national skills shortage in signalling.
The centre, opened today by transport minister Karen Buck, is fitted with five full-size lengths of track laid out for practical training on infrastructure, points and signalling.
Four of these tracks are exact replicas of those currently used on the Underground, with a fifth track enabling training on the new systems being introduced in line upgrades.
Terry Morgan, chief executive of Tube Lines, said: “The Skills Training Centre sets new standards for best practice in training and development.
“We are actively taking control of our long-term skills needs and are enabling our people to stay on top of their professions.”
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All courses and trainers are nationally recognised and accredited to award National Vocational Qualifications through the City and Guilds.
In addition, it will also provide training for Tube Lines’ apprentices, working in partnership with Newham College of Further Education and other organisations in the Stratford area.