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Early Careers
in Rail

Be part of transforming the Rail Industry




At School

At School

At Rail Delivery Group we offer work experience opportunities to Year 10 and Year 12 students who have an interest in the Railway.

These short work experience opportunities offer students a chance to meet employees across core departments and join specialists who will share insight into projects and programmes.

Students will also have an opportunity to attend a Depot or Station and meet the individuals that work there. Here are a few comments students have shared during their time with us:

I found it interesting to see the wide range of projects that the Rail Delivery Group is involved with and found that there was a lot more to the company and the industry than at first glance.
I found it an invaluable opportunity to see how a rail company works from the inside.
This week’s work experience has really made me appreciate the complex variety of jobs which make up a rail company and will help me in focusing my thoughts on a possible apprenticeship application.
️I just wanted to thank you from me and my family for a fantastic week’s work experience with you and the team at Rail Delivery Group.
Everyone was extremely welcoming and helpful and did everything to make my week interesting but also relaxed.
    Apprenticeships

    Apprenticeships

    Apprenticeships are for both young people and adult learners, and typically last between one and four years.
    Apprenticeships

    They are a great way to gain a qualification whilst earning a salary, working on real projects and gaining real workplace experience. Rail offers a varied range of apprenticeships, including:

    • Business administration
    • Rail services (train drivers)
    • Customer service
    • IT and telecoms
    • Engineering
    • Railway operations
    • Leadership and management
    Our members in the rail industry include passenger train operating companies, freight operating companies, Network Rail and the supply chain, and many offer a variety of apprenticeship opportunities across different parts of their business. They are keen for new people from all backgrounds to join them. Use the links at the bottom of the page to find out more.
    National Apprenticeship Week
    National Apprenticeship Week
    National Apprenticeship Week
    Graduate Schemes

    Graduate Schemes

    Railway Engineering Graduate Scheme (REGS)

    RDG Railway Engineering Graduate Scheme

    At the Rail Delivery Group, we manage the Railway Engineering Graduate Scheme (REGS) for engineering undergraduates and graduates seeking a career in mechanical or electrical engineering with UK rail companies.

    Rail companies - including passenger and freight operators - are looking to recruit engineering graduates across the country. Successful candidates join the Railway Engineering Graduate Scheme. The scheme is accredited by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and the Institute of Engineering and Technology, and offers a fast route towards Chartered or Incorporated Engineer status.

    What we need from you:

    • A MEng or BEng degree accredited by the IMEchE or the IET
    • Ability to apply your engineering knowledge in an intensely practical environment
    • Good job mobility as placements will take you all over the country or even abroad
    • Self motivation, ability to innovate and to work well in teams
    • Prior knowledge of the railway industry is not required.

    During your initial months on the scheme, you will be involved in all the varied fleet engineering aspects including maintenance, design, construction as well as the comprehensive technical aspects.

    You will be expected to move on from your graduate role on to an engineering role within the company, building up on your competences to be able to apply for Chartered or Incorporated status.

    As well as receiving support from RDG, you will be assigned a mentor who will be a senior engineer in the industry. Your mentor will monitor your progress and will offer counselling and advice throughout your time on the scheme.

    REGS community

    Our community offers developing engineers, mentors and senior engineers an opportunity to connect and learn through events and technical visits. Each year Rail Delivery Group hosts a conference where industry experts share their knowledge and experience on a specific theme. Hear from attendees at the 2024 conference below:

    Undergraduate placements (Year in Industry)

    Rail Delivery Group offers 1 year placement opportunities to students looking for on the job engineering experience. As a Year in Industry, students will follow the first year of our Railway Engineering Graduate Scheme. During the placement year the role will experience the Rail Industry first-hand through a number of technical visits around the UK and an 8 week hands on placement at a Train Depot. Students must be studying a degree accredited by the Institution of Engineering Technology (IET) or the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (ImechE).
    Kevin Zyka

    Kevin Zyka

    Year Placement Engineer at Rail Delivery Group

    When I joined the Rail Delivery Group it was an exciting opportunity to take a break from my studies, further develop myself as an engineer, and explore an industry that was completely new to me. During my time there as a Year Placement Engineer, I learnt a great deal about rail whilst working with the engineering team, with a focus on fleet performance, depot incidents, railway accidents, the next generation of signalling, and the industry’s approach to different weather conditions.

    Read more...

    I was also a part of the Railway Engineering Graduate Scheme (REGS), which provided me with numerous opportunities, including training courses, visits to depots, visits to driving and signalling simulators, and getting involved in outreach activities at events and schools. Each of these experiences have been important to me as they have helped me develop my understanding of many areas in the industry and was a great chance to meet other people involved in REGS and start building my network. There are also many placements to help gain hands-on experience whilst on the scheme, including a depot placement, which I did for 8 weeks at Hornsey depot, courtesy of Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR), which allowed me to gain a deeper insight into the work done to maintain trains and prepare them for service. I was also assigned a mentor, who has been a huge help and has provided me with valuable guidance, and being able to learn from his experiences has, and will be, beneficial whilst I work towards applying for a Chartered Engineering status with the Institute of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) later on in my career.

    Overall, I have really enjoyed my time at RDG and would consider a role in the rail industry in the future. I would also recommend this placement to any undergraduates interested in gaining valuable experience as an engineer.

    Katerina Koronou

    Katerina Koronou

    Year Placement Engineer at Rail Delivery Group
    Being an Integrated Engineering undergraduate looking for a year in industry placement, I was struggling to find a field in which my broad skillset would be utilised to its full potential. Somewhere I could fully test the extent of my engineering knowledge and explore the branches of engineering I could potentially have a career in proved surprisingly difficult to find.
    Read more...
    After applying for a placement with the Rail Delivery Group, I have come to realise that the railways are an industry that has this exact quality. Combining nearly all engineering disciplines, mechanical, electrical and civil to name a few, it really is the place to be if you have or want to develop a wide engineering skillset. Through an engineering Graduate or even Undergraduate position, I get to enjoy the perks of the REGS program, furthering my competencies and knowledge by participating in a multitude of educational courses and experiences that I definitely wouldn’t get the chance to experience in other industries. Even though I was reluctant initially, the railway has proved to me that it is a field I should be taking into serious consideration when planning my future career.