Siemens Mobility has taken on 24 young people in apprenticeships and graduate roles at its Goole Rail Village, from where the company is assembling new Piccadilly line trains and which could deliver the UK’s next generation of main line trains.
The recruitment includes 22 apprentices – the highest number of apprentices recruited by Siemens Mobility in the UK for a single site in a year – and comes as the pioneering development in East Yorkshire gears up to becoming fully operational.
The trainees are aged between 16 and 26 and all started on the same day, across a variety of roles in the Manufacturing, Logistics and Warehousing, Quality, Commissioning, Components, Materials Control, Operations and Commercial teams at Goole. More than half of the new starters are from the Goole area, with most of the others from the wider Yorkshire region.
Taking on so many young people in a single phase demonstrates Siemens Mobility’s commitment to developing a new generation of talent while establishing Goole as a centre of excellence for the rail industry in the UK.
Mark Speed, General Manager of Siemens Mobility at Goole, said: “We’re excited to welcome all these new recruits to our growing team in Goole.
“Bringing on board so many talented young people demonstrates our commitment to creating new opportunities to join the UK rail industry and help to shape its future.
“These new team members represent a major investment in creating a powerful pipeline of talent and a lasting legacy of skills for our business and the wider industry. The numbers taken on also reflect the scale of our operations in Goole and the range of functions within the Rail Village.
“We’re looking forward to seeing our new colleagues grow and develop in their roles and contribute to the success of our operations in Goole as we transform rail travel and transport.”
Global rail technology leader Siemens Mobility is investing £200m to develop a train manufacturing facility and associated operations in Goole, creating up to 700 jobs directly as well as around 1,700 opportunities in the wider supply chain.
The first trains built at the new factory will be new tube trains for Transport for London. 80% of new trains for the Piccadilly line on the London Underground will be assembled at Goole.
Siemens Mobility plans to build all future main line trains for the UK at Goole, including new battery bi-mode trains that it has calculated could save Britain’s railways £3.5bn and 12 million tonnes of CO2 over 35 years.
The factory is the centrepiece of the wider Rail Village, featuring a Components Facility, a Materials and Logistics Warehouse, and a research, development and innovation cluster, establishing Goole as a centre of excellence for rail technology in the UK.
The new starters will develop their skills through a wide range of training programmes, relevant to their specific roles. Many of these programmes are overseen by the National Training Academy for Rail (NTAR), working with regional training providers, including York College.
The new recruits include Liv Ross, 16, from Rawcliffe Bridge, near Goole, who is undertaking a Level 3 Mechanical Fitter Apprenticeship after completing GCSEs in engineering and computer science.
She said: “Engineering is still very male dominated, but I had a female engineering teacher at school who really inspired me to pursue a career in this field.
“I didn’t like the idea of going to college and sitting in a classroom all day. Getting hands-on experience through an apprenticeship was much more appealing to me.
“It already feels like I’m part of a great community. Everyone has made me feel welcome and we’re all here to help each other.”
Tristan Masterman, 18, from Selby, near Goole, is starting a Level 4 Manufacturing Fitter Apprenticeship after completing his Level 3 Diploma in engineering at college.
He said: “I knew I wanted to pursue a career in engineering and, after researching university courses and attending a number of open days, I realised I wouldn’t get the valuable hands-on experience I wanted at uni.
“I decided that doing an apprenticeship would be the best route for me, as I could learn on the job from professionals who are already working in the industry, while getting paid at the same time.
“It feels amazing to be part of such an important project, building trains for the London Underground, which will provide a vital service to the public. I’ve always wanted to do a job where I make a positive impact and I already know I’ll be able to do that in this role.”
Siemens Mobility runs numerous early career programmes and talent development initiatives to encourage young people to enter the industry and to support employees to build long-term careers. This commitment to talent and skills development was recognised recently by Siemens Mobility winning the 2024 Young Rail Professionals Employer of the Year award.
Programmes focused on employment and skills opportunities complement Siemens Mobility’s wider commitment to supporting the local community in Goole. Siemens Mobility’s community initiatives include donations and volunteering at Two Rivers Community Pantry foodbank; raising funds for local good causes through an annual Goole Charity Cricket Day; and demonstrating commitment to diversity and inclusion by supporting Goole Pride.
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