Network Operations Apprentice – Fixed term

Position Title:              Network Operations Apprentice – Fixed term Contract

Location:                      Three Bridges Rail Operating Centre

Reports To:                   Training and Support Services

Manager Grade:         MG 4

Exciting opportunity to recruit Network Operations Apprentices – Fixed term Contract 

About Govia Thameslink Railway 

Govia Thameslink Railway is the largest train operating company in the UK, operating 3,500 passenger trains and 1,000 other train movements each weekday on our Gatwick Express, Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern services. Our Network Operations team bases at Three Bridges Rail Operating Centre, in West Sussex is responsible for the real time delivery of these train services ensuring safe and reliable operations while providing clear, timely customer information to support passenger journeys.

Want to learn how we provide a train service that helps millions of people travel to where they need to go each year?

Our Network Operations team do exactly that every day and we are looking for three future focused apprentices to join the team. This is a fantastic opportunity to learn and discover about the behind-the-scenes operation of the railway from the ground up, while getting paid and gaining nationally recognised qualifications.

To succeed in this role, you’ll need to be an excellent communicator (written and verbal) and able to speak professionally and confidentially to staff at all levels. You’ll be a dynamic self-starter with exceptional attention to detail. You’ll need to be happy to work closely with colleagues, in the office, face-to-face around the business, via telephone and written communications. You’ll exhibit professional behaviours and commit to championing diversity and inclusion initiatives.

The successful apprentices will complete the CIRO Level 4 Passenger Transport Operations Manager Apprenticeship qualification whilst gaining real experience of different key roles within Network Operations. This includes undertaking tasks, shadowing and placements to assist your learning. Team members will train and hold competency to become one or a combination of Train Service Manager (TSM), Station Control Manager (SCM) or Customer Ambassador (CA) and will support roster coverage as required whilst maintaining apprenticeship commitments.

Apprentices will receive:

• Foundational control centre training within our Operations and Customer Experience teams, to learn what we do, when and why we do it.
• In-depth multi-digital systems training including data integrity for rolling stock, train crew, incident logging & real time staff and customer communications.
• In depth training around the mechanics of how the daily train service is created and delivered.
• Training in how we create and provide first class information to look after our customers, alerting them to planned and un-planned events.
• Coaching in coordinating with station teams, train crew and Customer Experience colleagues to maintain a unified message during both planned and unplanned events.
• Development of skills in scenario-based customer information delivery, ensuring that disruption we provide timely, empathetic and actionable messages that help customers make informed decisions.
• Learning with Network Rail colleagues to develop understanding of their management of infrastructure incidents and rail industry issues.
• Training around seasonal, contingency and events planning.

Apprentices will be required to complete all courses and achieve the required pass marks. This is an 18-month fixed term initiative which includes 12 months of formal learning then a further 6 months allowing you to maintain competency by covering the roles you have learned whilst you seek a permanent position in one of these posts, subject to a vacancy being available and a successful recruitment process.