The Global Centre of Rail Excellence (GCRE) and Neath Port Talbot Council have announced plans for a new skills programme to help former Tata steelworkers find employment in the rail industry.
With funding from the Tata Transition Fund being delivered by the UK Government, the ‘Access to Rail Engineering Programme’ will be run out of the GCRE site near Onllwyn and help 72 individuals get the re-training they need to find work in the rail industry.
The project will see its first cohort begin training at the GCRE site next week (Monday 7th July). It will support successful candidates to undertake the three-week training programme, so they are ready to work on the railway.
The project is working with leading rail suppliers in Wales to provide an opportunity for paid employment for all individuals who successfully complete the training. The plan is for the project to support six cohorts of twelve trainees through the programme over the next six months.
GCRE is being developed to become a facility for world class rail research, testing and innovation and has been supported by the U.K. and Welsh Governments.
GCRE will work with award winning provider Train’d Up to deliver the programme. Though the GCRE site has yet to be constructed, GCRE will use rail track infrastructure it has developed at the site to host the training.
GCRE is encouraging more rail and supply chain employers to get involved in future cohorts of the programme.
Secretary of State for Wales Rt. Hon. Jo Stevens MP said:
“Investing in training more than 70 Tata workers so they are ready to take up skilled, well-paid jobs in the rail sector is an example of how money from the Port Talbot / Tata Steel Transition Board is providing the right support for people in the local community.
“The UK Government’s number one priority is driving economic growth across Wales and the UK. Through our investment at GCRE and in Welsh rail at the recent Spending Review, we are ensuring there are good jobs and future opportunities in this key industry.”
Neath Port Talbot Council Leader Cllr Steve Hunt said:
“The council works alongside local employers across a range of sectors and as one of the most significant projects in the region, GCRE presents a unique opportunity to provide people with training to find new and quality employment in the rail industry.”
“Our Employability team is working to support anyone affected by the changes at Tata Steel and this partnership with GCRE provides, right on our doorstep, a route into a sector with huge demand for skilled workers.
“This is a fantastic example of how the Employment and Skills Fund can provide people not only with support to retrain and upskill but also specific pathways to re-enter employment.”
GCRE Ltd Chief Executive Simon Jones said:
“From the very beginning the Global Centre of Rail Excellence has been a project focused on rebuilding local prosperity and creating good quality jobs and skills opportunities. This collaboration with our partners in national and local government is a great example of what could be possible on a much bigger scale at our site.
“GCRE has the potential to create 1,100 jobs in its first decade and contribute more than £1.2bn of benefits over its lifetime. It’s great to show the early potential of our site as the region grapples with such a major economic challenge and I’d encourage other rail and supply chain employers to get involved in the programme.
Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, Rebecca Evans MS said:
“GCRE is a Programme for Government priority for the Welsh Government and a strategic way in which we can support the economy of South West Wales to develop a stronger and brighter economic future.
“This programme is good news for the individuals who will benefit and evidence of GCRE’s industrial potential for the future.”
The three-week training course will allow participants to gain key basic qualifications for the rail industry – including Personal Track Safety (PTS), Track Induction Training and gain a Level 1 NVQ Certificate in Rail Engineering Track Renewals.
In 2025 it is estimated there will be a gap in the supply of skilled rail workers nationally, and within 90 mins of the Port Talbot site there will be a gap of 3400 for workers predominantly in maintenance or capital projects.
Any employers wanting to get involved in the programme, or individuals made redundant from Tata Steel or a company in its supply chain should contact jobsupport@npt.gov.uk for more information.
