Sussex students get a head start in railway careers thanks to new employment scheme

• GTR launches unique recruitment drive, helping students land regular work whilst studying towards degrees

GTR, the train operator that runs Southern, Thameslink, Great Northern and Gatwick Express services, is currently putting a new method of recruitment to the test to fulfil On Board Supervisor (OBS) roles across the Southeast.

In an industry first, the company has worked closely with two universities on its network in a deliberate move to attract students to the paid part-time positions, rather than opening the vacancies to the general public.

The new recruitment initiative gives young people the opportunity to gain much-needed work experience whilst studying towards their degrees, and helps GTR to strengthen staff resourcing in vital parts of the network.

Five students from the University of Brighton, as well a student from the University of Chichester, are now undergoing eight weeks of training before they can officially carry out OBS duties unsupervised.

Jenny Saunders, Customer Services Director for GTR, said: “This scheme gave us a great opportunity to try something new because our specific requirements didn’t meet the threshold for more traditional full time or part time roles. Our new recruits are contracted to work one day a week, during the weekend, so the shift doesn’t interrupt their weekday study commitments.

“With many young people struggling to enter the world of work, this scheme provides a perfect opportunity for these individuals to take their first steps on the career ladder in what is a fantastic role, and we’re very proud to be the first train operator to trial working with universities directly in this way.”

Yasmina Mallam-Hassam, Head of Employability and Enterprise at the University of Brighton, said: "This collaboration is a great example of how two organisations can work closely to utilise student employability to meet the specific needs of their business. The unique proposition of this partnership is the long-term opportunity it is offering these students, building skills and experience in rail that will set them up for future career prospects in the industry. We hope to continue working with GTR to roll this scheme out to other areas of the business."

This new initiative closely follows GTR signing the Rail Youth Charter earlier this month, committing the company to helping more young people access, develop and progress careers in rail. As part of the pledge, GTR says it is aiming to double its number of 16-24-year-old employees.

This commitment will help the railway on its mission to attract and retain young people, as the industry moves closer towards the formation of Great British Railways.

For interview opportunities, please email press.office@gtrailway.com.

ENDS

Notes to editors

• Once the students have completed the eight weeks of training, they will be contracted to work one day a week, which will alternate between a Saturday and Sunday. This frees up their time in the week to concentrate on their studies
• As an employee of GTR, each individual receives exactly the same perks as any other member of staff, including free travel across the network
• Four individuals will be based in GTR’s Brighton depot, and the other two individuals will be based in the Barnham depot, covering routes across the Southeast of England
• The roles were advertised directly via the University of Brighton and the University of Chichester. The Brighton positions proved extremely popular, with over 150 applications
• GTR hopes the scheme will be rolled out to other areas of the business, as well as the wider industry