Signalling technicians. Project managers. Engineers. Data analysts. These are just some of the roles the rail industry is struggling to fill as demand for skills continues to outpace supply. At the same time, employers face another challenge: how to attract talented people who may never have considered a career in rail in the first place.

Those issues sparked a lively discussion when Women in Rail Gold Corporate Member West Nottinghamshire College met with Women in Rail Trustee and National Skills Academy for Rail (NSAR) Chief Executive Neil Robertson to explore the industry’s future workforce needs. While headline skills shortages are well known, the conversation quickly moved beyond vacancies and recruitment targets. Instead, it focused on a question facing employers across the sector: how do we create better routes into rail careers?

The skills gap is growing

According to Neil, the answer may be less about finding new recruitment channels and more about supporting people before they reach apprenticeship level. “One of the biggest opportunities is helping people become ready for apprenticeships and long term careers,” he said. “The industry has invested heavily in apprenticeships over recent years, but there is still a gap between education and employment for many potential candidates.” The discussion highlighted growing demand for digital and analytical skills alongside more traditional engineering disciplines. Rail now generates vast amounts of operational data, yet many organisations continue to struggle to turn that information into practical decisions. “We talk a lot about digital transformation,” Neil observed, “but none of that happens without people who can understand and use the information we’re collecting.”

Looking beyond traditional recruitment

The discussion also explored the significant opportunities that exist beyond traditional recruitment routes. With many organisations facing ageing workforces and ongoing skills shortages, the industry is increasingly looking at how to attract people from a wider range of backgrounds and improve social mobility. Rather than waiting for candidates to arrive apprenticeship-ready, the conversation focused on creating clearer pathways that help learners build the skills, confidence and industry awareness employers are looking for.

A pathway into the industry

One idea that generated particular interest was the possibility of developing a pilot programme to support learners from disadvantaged backgrounds into rail careers. Potential elements discussed included employer engagement, mentoring, work experience and guaranteed interviews with participating organisations. While still at an early stage, the proposal reflects a growing recognition that attracting future talent requires more than simply advertising vacancies. It is about creating visible and achievable routes into the industry for people who may never have previously considered rail as a career.

Training people for long term careers

For West Nottinghamshire College, the discussion provided valuable insight into how training provision may need to evolve in the coming years. The College has been expanding both its rail and civil engineering programmes and is seeing increasing interest from learners seeking careers in infrastructure and transport. Many are arriving with little previous connection to the railway. Some come from backgrounds where access to industry opportunities can be limited. For Katerina Shenton, Head of Groundworks, Rail and Civil Engineering at West Nottinghamshire College, the ambition is about much more than helping learners secure their first job. “We don’t want learners to see a single job at the end of a course. We want them to see a future,” said Katerina. “If we can help people understand the opportunities available across the industry and prepare them properly, everybody benefits.”

Bringing education and industry together

The conversation also demonstrated the value of connecting education providers with experienced industry leaders who can share insight, challenge assumptions and help open doors. “One of the strengths of Women in Rail is bringing people together who may not otherwise have the opportunity to connect,” commented Sharon Salmon, Women in Rail Trustee, adding: “Conversations like this create opportunities, share knowledge and help organisations learn from one another.” The discussion generated a number of ideas that will now be explored further, from workforce intelligence and employer engagement to the development of potential pilot initiatives. More importantly, it highlighted a challenge facing the entire rail sector. The industry’s future workforce is not only sitting in today’s rail organisations. It is also in colleges, communities and classrooms across the country. The challenge is making sure those individuals can see a route into rail and have the support needed to take the first step.

If the industry is serious about closing its skills gap, creating those pathways may prove just as important as filling today’s vacancies.

Find out more

Interested in developing new talent pathways, sharing best practice or learning more about WR corporate membership? Contact the Women in Rail team at wr@womeninrail.org.