DB Cargo UK rail chief welcomes new training and development opportunities
Doncaster’s new National College for High Speed Rail is an “enormous opportunity for the whole rail industry”, the Chief Executive of Britain’s biggest rail freight company said today (Monday, February 5th).
Hans-Georg Werner, Chief Executive of Doncaster-based DB Cargo UK, said: He was very excited by a recent visit to the new facility to discuss future opportunities for collaboration.
Mr Werner said: “While the college has an important role to play in supporting the development of HS2 the state-of-the-art training and opportunities being offered here in Doncaster will be relevant to drivers, engineers and ground-staff across the entire UK rail network.”
“Here at DB Cargo UK we are leading the next generation of rail freight and we look forward to working closely with the college’s Chief Executive Clair Mowbray and her team on shaping the experience and opportunities they offer.”
DB Cargo UK is based in Carolina Way, Doncaster, just a stone’s throw away from the multi-million pound new college.
Employing more than 2200 staff, DB Cargo UK transports everything from cereal to steel, as well as providing essential infrastructure services to Network Rail.
During his visit, Mr Werner presented the college with a pantograph – the apparatus that sits on the top of an electric train – which will be used in the training of students.
In return, the college’s Chief Executive Clair Mowbray presented Mr Werner with a certificate and a plaque, acknowledging the company’s ongoing support.
Clair Mowbray, Chief Executive of the National College for High Speed Rail, said: “The National College is focused on delivering the skills training that is required to modernise rail. The UK’s engineering workforce is currently falling short by around 69,000 engineers every year, with a growing older workforce which currently lacks diversity. It is our challenge to work towards solving the skills gap that Britain faces as it invests billions of pounds into modernising the rail network and wider transport infrastructure. By working with industry partners like DB Cargo we can ensure the range of opportunities reflect the needs of all aspects of the rail industry.”
The National College for High Speed Rail is dedicated to supporting the UK’s growing rail sector, with everything it does matched to the current and future needs of the industry.
The College’s focus is post-18 education and is also accessible for those looking to retrain or develop their expertise in the industry. Learners at the College can choose from higher apprenticeships currently available in High Speed Rail and Infrastructure (Level 4) and Operations and Departmental Management (Level 5). The College also runs an entry level one-year full-time course – the Certificate of Higher Education (Cert HE) in High Speed Rail and Infrastructure, equivalent to Higher National Certificate (HNC) qualification.
The National College for High Speed Rail has a second campus based in Birmingham. There will be open days for prospective learners taking place at each campus in March. For those interested in attending and for businesses interested in exhibiting, please register at: www.nchsr.ac.uk