New generation of rail engineers unveiled as education secretary opens high tech college in Doncaster

Day one at the National College for High Speed Rail saw its first intake of students vie for space with the movers and shakers of business, politics and education, as the first steps of building a bright new future in the traditions of Mallard and Flying Scotsman were taken.

Justine Greening, Secretary of State for Education, officially launched the college at Doncaster Lakeside on Monday, weeks ahead of the organisation's second site, which is in Birmingham.

The new employer-led college is the largest of five new national colleges created by Government to ensure British workers can learn world-class skills. The development has been supported by Doncaster Council who helped to secure funding for the scheme as well as being involved with the design and construction of the college.

With a second campus in Birmingham, the new college will train 150 learners across both site during the 2017-18 academic year. At full capacity the college will train 1,200 learners a year.

Bursaries to help with the cost of study are available for those from disadvantaged backgrounds, and bosses at the college are keen to bring in as many students from Doncaster as they can.

Among the first to take up places at the college was 21-year-old Ryan Weatherill, of Bawtry.

Ryan has a long family history in the rail industry, going back every generation since his great-grandfather.

The 21-year-old applied for the college after doing work for his dad, who runs Green Light Signalling, a railway contractors firm. He has been working with them since leaving school aged 17.

He said: "I'm a signal engineer, and I want to better my skills and learn about new technology. My dad thinks its a great opportunity for me to come in and learn, and working on the railways has been something I enjoy. I'm really excited about it, and my aim to to get an apprenticeship when I finish.

"I have a real family history in the railways. My great grandfather was a signalman, and my grandad wrote the signalling rulebook at Network rail. In addition them, my mum and grandmother both worked in the payroll department as British Rail office staff."

Not all the new generation starting college this week had the railways running through their blood.

Anca Vacariu has signed up for the college for a new start.

Anca, aged 32, also from Doncaster, had a law degree in Romania, but has been working in the borough as a shop assistant.

She sees a bright future in working on the railways and wants to be involved.

She said: "Railways are one of those areas that that they are always improving, and there is always going to be new technology.I want to be in this."

Jack Robins, 18, has signed up after starting work in for one of Doncaster's rail firms. He plans to go to college five days a week, and then get work on the railways at weekends.

"It's the next step to better myself in a career I love," he said.

The campus on Carolina Way in Doncaster been equipped with the very latest in cutting edge technology, including virtual reality training on board a Eurostar power car, an augmented reality classroom, and a dedicated BIM (building information modelling) room.

Bosses say the college will play a key role in generating the workforce of the future who will design and build the UK’s new high-speed rail network and future infrastructure projects. It has recently created the UK’s first Certificate of Higher Education (CHE) in High Speed Rail and Infrastructure, which people in Doncaster can now apply for.

Education secretary Ms Greening said the college gave a whole new range of opportunities to a a new generation of people growing up in the borough.

She said opening the college meant investment in a new generation of young people going into the railway industry on HS2.

She told the Free Press: "That's fantastic, not only for them because there are some great careers in High Speed rail, but also for businesses and businesses who are crying out for the sort of skills that then National College is going to be giving our young people, and I think for Doncaster, and for the Yorkshire region more generally, it's brilliant to have this right here on our doorstep, training up young people from this region."