Apprenticeships
Rail and Civil Engineering
Are you ready to take the first step toward a fulfilling career in rail and civil engineering? An apprenticeship is the perfect way to kickstart your journey in the industry.
With an apprenticeship in rail and civil engineering, you'll be on track to join the region's thriving engineering industry and be at the forefront of the exciting advancements shaping the future of transportation. You’ll be supported by industry-experienced tutors and learn in our one-of-a-kind Rail and Civil Engineering Academy.
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Apprenticeship Areas
Rail Engineering Technician Apprenticeship
Do you have a passion for the railway and always wondered how you could make a career out of it? Steam ahead with the Rail Engineering Technician apprenticeship!
Length: 3 years
Study: Full-Time
Start Date: Various
Location: Employer Based
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Current Apprenticeship Vacancies
We work with employers across the North East to offer you the latest apprenticeship opportunities!
Find out which employers are currently offering apprenticeships and apply for any of our current vacancies to start earning whilst you learn!
View and applyWhat can I do with an Rail and Civil Engineering qualification?
Daily tasks:
- Organises and establishes control systems to monitor operational efficiency and performance of materials and systems.
- Ensures that equipment, operation and maintenance comply with design specifications and safety standards.
- Designs mechanical equipment, such as steam, internal combustion and other non-electrical motors for railway locomotives, road vehicles, aeroplanes and other machinery.
- Determines materials, equipment, piping, capacities, layout of plant or system and specification for manufacture.
- Undertakes research and advises on energy use, materials handling, thermodynamic processes, fluid mechanics, vehicles and environmental controls.
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Daily tasks:
- Organises and establishes control systems to monitor the performance and safety of electrical assemblies and systems.
- Ensures that manufacture, operation and maintenance comply with design specifications and contractual arrangements.
- Determines and specifies manufacturing methods of electrical systems.
- Supervises, controls and monitors the operation of electrical generation, transmission and distribution systems.
Powered by EMSI
Daily tasks:
- Prepares specifications for materials and other components.
- Produces final design information for use in preparation of layouts, parts lists, etc..
- Arranges construction and testing of model or prototype and modifies design if necessary.
- Prepares working designs for steam, aero, turbine, marine and electrical engines, mechanical instruments, aircraft and missile structures, vehicle and ship structures, plant and machinery equipment, domestic electrical appliances, building systems and services, and electronic computing and telecommunications equipment.
- Assesses product requirements, including costs, manufacturing feasibility and market requirements.
Powered by EMSI
Daily tasks:
- Provides technical consultancy services.
- Examines and advises on patent applications.
- Prepare sketches, drawings and specifications showing materials to be used, construction and finishing methods and other details.
- Devises and implements control systems to monitor operational efficiency and performance of system and materials.
- Designs new systems and equipment with regard to cost, market requirements and feasibility of manufacture.
- Establishes principles and techniques to improve the quality, durability and performance of materials such as textiles, glass, rubber, plastics, ceramics, metals and alloys.
- Researches into problem areas to advance basic knowledge, evaluate new theories and techniques and to solve specific problems.
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Daily tasks:
- Visits and advises clients on the use and servicing of mechanical and chemical engineering products and services.
- Inspects completed aircraft maintenance work to certify that it meets standards and the aircraft is ready for operation.
- Diagnoses and detects faults and implements procedures to maintain efficient operation of systems and equipment.
- Prepares estimates of materials, equipment and labour required for engineering projects.
- Sets up equipment, undertakes tests, takes readings, performs calculations and records and interprets data.
- Plans and prepares work and test schedules based on specifications and drawings.
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Daily tasks:
- Inspects and issues tickets on trains, deals with passenger enquiries, and takes charge of goods being transported on train.
- Checks control panel operation before start of journey, operates train door controls and signals to driver to start or stop train.
- Attends to the safety, welfare and comfort of passengers on trains and manages train crew.
- Assists passengers with special needs to board and leave trains.
- Loads and unloads mail, goods and luggage, operates lifts and hoists and drives small trucks.
- Helps with passenger enquiries and makes announcements over a public address system at stations.
- Examines and collects tickets at the ticket barrier of a railway station.
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Daily tasks:
- Monitors the standards of scientific and technical research undertaken by the research team.
- Plans work schedules, assigns tasks and delegates responsibilities to the research and development team.
- Develops research methodology, implements and reports upon research investigations undertaken.
- Liaises with production departments to investigate and resolve manufacturing problems.
- Establishes product design and performance objectives in consultation with other business functions.
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Daily tasks:
- Fastens together sections of rail by bolting fishplates to rails.
- Positions lengths of rail, sets of points and crossovers and secures rail with bolts, wooden wedges or clips.
- Spreads ballast and lays sleepers or metal plates at specified intervals.
- Lubricates points, examines fences, drains, culverts and embankments and carries out any necessary maintenance.
- Checks tightness of bolts and wedges, replaces damaged rail chairs and repacks ballast under sleepers if necessary.
- Patrols length of track and visually inspects rails, bolts, fishplates and chairs for distortion or fracture.
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Daily tasks:
- Checks loading of tubs and carriages, and informs driver of load distribution and any special features of route.
- Assists drivers in the operation of diesel, diesel-electric, electric and steam locomotives.
- Examines shunting instructions, uncouples wagons and coaches, guides movement of carriages using manual points and wagon breaks, links-up carriages, ensures security of couplings and reconnects brake and heating systems.
- Operates signals and opens and closes barriers at level crossings as required.
- Examines schedules and decides priority of movement of trains, monitors movement of trains and issues instructions to drivers, signal operatives and level crossing keepers.
- Provides crews for breakdown trains, allocates relief and replacement crews as necessary, keeps crews informed of any line repairs or restrictions, and checks train running times for punctuality.
Powered by EMSI
What can I do with an Rail and Civil Engineering qualification?
Mechanical engineers
Daily tasks:
- Organises and establishes control systems to monitor operational efficiency and performance of materials and systems.
- Ensures that equipment, operation and maintenance comply with design specifications and safety standards.
- Designs mechanical equipment, such as steam, internal combustion and other non-electrical motors for railway locomotives, road vehicles, aeroplanes and other machinery.
- Determines materials, equipment, piping, capacities, layout of plant or system and specification for manufacture.
- Undertakes research and advises on energy use, materials handling, thermodynamic processes, fluid mechanics, vehicles and environmental controls.
Powered by EMSI
Electrical engineers
Daily tasks:
- Organises and establishes control systems to monitor the performance and safety of electrical assemblies and systems.
- Ensures that manufacture, operation and maintenance comply with design specifications and contractual arrangements.
- Determines and specifies manufacturing methods of electrical systems.
- Supervises, controls and monitors the operation of electrical generation, transmission and distribution systems.
Powered by EMSI
Design and development engineers
Daily tasks:
- Prepares specifications for materials and other components.
- Produces final design information for use in preparation of layouts, parts lists, etc..
- Arranges construction and testing of model or prototype and modifies design if necessary.
- Prepares working designs for steam, aero, turbine, marine and electrical engines, mechanical instruments, aircraft and missile structures, vehicle and ship structures, plant and machinery equipment, domestic electrical appliances, building systems and services, and electronic computing and telecommunications equipment.
- Assesses product requirements, including costs, manufacturing feasibility and market requirements.
Powered by EMSI
Engineering professionals n.e.c.
Daily tasks:
- Provides technical consultancy services.
- Examines and advises on patent applications.
- Prepare sketches, drawings and specifications showing materials to be used, construction and finishing methods and other details.
- Devises and implements control systems to monitor operational efficiency and performance of system and materials.
- Designs new systems and equipment with regard to cost, market requirements and feasibility of manufacture.
- Establishes principles and techniques to improve the quality, durability and performance of materials such as textiles, glass, rubber, plastics, ceramics, metals and alloys.
- Researches into problem areas to advance basic knowledge, evaluate new theories and techniques and to solve specific problems.
Powered by EMSI
Engineering technicians
Daily tasks:
- Visits and advises clients on the use and servicing of mechanical and chemical engineering products and services.
- Inspects completed aircraft maintenance work to certify that it meets standards and the aircraft is ready for operation.
- Diagnoses and detects faults and implements procedures to maintain efficient operation of systems and equipment.
- Prepares estimates of materials, equipment and labour required for engineering projects.
- Sets up equipment, undertakes tests, takes readings, performs calculations and records and interprets data.
- Plans and prepares work and test schedules based on specifications and drawings.
Powered by EMSI
Rail travel assistants
Daily tasks:
- Inspects and issues tickets on trains, deals with passenger enquiries, and takes charge of goods being transported on train.
- Checks control panel operation before start of journey, operates train door controls and signals to driver to start or stop train.
- Attends to the safety, welfare and comfort of passengers on trains and manages train crew.
- Assists passengers with special needs to board and leave trains.
- Loads and unloads mail, goods and luggage, operates lifts and hoists and drives small trucks.
- Helps with passenger enquiries and makes announcements over a public address system at stations.
- Examines and collects tickets at the ticket barrier of a railway station.
Powered by EMSI
Research and Development Managers
Daily tasks:
- Monitors the standards of scientific and technical research undertaken by the research team.
- Plans work schedules, assigns tasks and delegates responsibilities to the research and development team.
- Develops research methodology, implements and reports upon research investigations undertaken.
- Liaises with production departments to investigate and resolve manufacturing problems.
- Establishes product design and performance objectives in consultation with other business functions.
Powered by EMSI
Rail Construction and Maintenance Operatives
Daily tasks:
- Fastens together sections of rail by bolting fishplates to rails.
- Positions lengths of rail, sets of points and crossovers and secures rail with bolts, wooden wedges or clips.
- Spreads ballast and lays sleepers or metal plates at specified intervals.
- Lubricates points, examines fences, drains, culverts and embankments and carries out any necessary maintenance.
- Checks tightness of bolts and wedges, replaces damaged rail chairs and repacks ballast under sleepers if necessary.
- Patrols length of track and visually inspects rails, bolts, fishplates and chairs for distortion or fracture.
Powered by EMSI
Rail Transport Operatives
Daily tasks:
- Checks loading of tubs and carriages, and informs driver of load distribution and any special features of route.
- Assists drivers in the operation of diesel, diesel-electric, electric and steam locomotives.
- Examines shunting instructions, uncouples wagons and coaches, guides movement of carriages using manual points and wagon breaks, links-up carriages, ensures security of couplings and reconnects brake and heating systems.
- Operates signals and opens and closes barriers at level crossings as required.
- Examines schedules and decides priority of movement of trains, monitors movement of trains and issues instructions to drivers, signal operatives and level crossing keepers.
- Provides crews for breakdown trains, allocates relief and replacement crews as necessary, keeps crews informed of any line repairs or restrictions, and checks train running times for punctuality.
Powered by EMSI
Register Your Interest
Are you keen to start an apprenticeship at Newcastle College, but need a little help getting placed? Come along to one of our first stage interview sessions to explore our vacancies, submit an application and get advice about securing your dream job.
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Meet Our Tutors
Tait McKenna
Level 3 in Rail Engineering"I didn’t enjoy school. I was glad of the change Newcastle College brought to my education. The environment suits me better and I enjoy coming to college. I started on Level 2 and progressed onto Level 3."
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