In a strategic move to more closely link recruitment and training within the UK’s rail sector, The Rail Academy has acquired an 80% controlling stake in Rail Recruiter from Business Daily Group. This acquisition is the first step to establish a comprehensive solution for the sourcing, selection and testing of candidates aspiring to join the rail industry and providing rail organisations with a one-stop-shop for their operational recruitment and training needs.
Cath Bellamy, Managing Director of The Rail Academy, emphasised the significance of this development in light of the demographic shifts facing the rail industry. “With more than 30% of the UK rail workforce, including train drivers, expected to retire within the next five to ten years, the industry is on the cusp of a substantial skills gap, with overstretched capability to address it. The Rail Academy already delivers a unique training offer supporting specialist train driver training and assessment and has been building capability, customers and experience. By integrating, and then developing, the Rail Recruiter platform we aim to offer a unique sourcing, shortlisting and testing service. This is designed specifically for rail employers and is intended to save time, money, duplication and wasted effort.
“We will aim to provide a single location where interested new entrants are able to see what is available industry-wide; encouraging those in the industry to stay in the industry following new opportunities; and giving employers of all sizes a chance to attract the very best people.”
The National Skills Academy for Rail (NSAR) reports that a third of the workforce is aged 50 and over, heading towards retirement age. By 2030, up to 90,000 employees are likely to exit the industry due to retirement and other forms of attrition, leading to a critical loss of experience and knowledge.
David McLoughlin, Chairman of Business Daily Group, expressed confidence in the synergy between the two organisations. “Rail Recruiter is evolving into a formidable brand within UK rail. Transferring majority ownership to Rail Academy presents an opportunity to scale our innovative platform, creating a value proposition that surpasses what either entity could achieve independently. I would like to acknowledge my business partner, Simon Taylor’s, instrumental role in creating and developing this outstanding product, following our successful collaboration on Rail Business Daily, which we created together and sold in August 2023.”
This partnership aims to deliver substantial benefits to the UK rail industry by facilitating strategic workforce planning and management. By offering a comprehensive suite of recruitment and training services, The Rail Academy’s new Rail Recruiter platform will enable organisations to efficiently address their people requirements, ensuring a more effective pipeline of competent and prepared professionals to meet the evolving demands of the rail sector. In summary, Cath said: “This partnership is built on a deep-rooted knowledge of the rail industry from people who have grown up in it and are passionate about its success. We are committed to building something truly exceptional, and we will have more exciting announcements to share in the coming months.”
The new partnership comes into effect on 01 April 2025.
