Rail Forum
MIDLANDS
THE INDUSTRY’S skills shortages have been well publicised. Key clients including HS2, Transport for London and Network Rail now include requirements to recruit apprentices and in some cases to engage in schools engagement activities as part of their contracting terms and conditions, with these often flowing down through the supply chain to smaller suppliers.
iRail is the longest running continuous and collaborative rail specific schools engagement programme in the UK. Started 12 years ago by the Derby Railway Engineering Society (DRES) and now managed by Rail Forum Midlands (RFM) on behalf of the industry, iRail targets pupils in year 9 (that’s 13- and 14-year-olds). iRail provides the opportunity for schools to enter a team to take part in a rail-based Science Technology Engineering Maths (STEM) Challenge. This challenge is incorporated into a day which also includes site visits to employers and a teacher briefing session about rail careers.
Over the years iRail has evolved and crucially the support from employers has allowed RFM and its education delivery partner Learn by Design to access funding to run outreach days in the schools. This allows the programme to reach a lot more st…
