Go-Ahead Group sets target to recruit over 1,000 apprentices
The Go-Ahead Group announces today that it will double the number of apprentices in its ranks over the course of 2019, as its bus company Go-Ahead London opens the doors of a new recruitment and training academy in South London.
- Go-Ahead has set a target to recruit over 1,000 new apprentices, across the rail and bus network, by the end of 2019
- Go-Ahead is the only public transport operator registered as an approved provider delivering apprenticeships across both bus and rail
- 65% of new apprentices at Go-Ahead London have come from BAME backgrounds and one-in-five of the positions have been filled by women
This follows the Group’s registration as the only public transport operator to deliver all aspects of apprenticeships in house. Almost 500 apprentices are currently training with Go-Ahead’s bus and rail companies, with a target to train 1,000 recruits by the end of the year.
Go-Ahead London’s new academy in Camberwell will be used by the company to deliver on-site training for the next generation of bus drivers in the city – with Transport for London commissioner Mike Brown visiting for the launch today. The opening of the academy also marks the fact that, for the first time, Go-Ahead London will be training aspiring bus drivers under its apprenticeship programme.
The academy will cover both academic and technical training, with two certified driving examiners on-site. In addition to driving, apprenticeships are also available across customer service, business administration, mechanical and engineering and technical roles, with training taking between 12 and 36 months.
Reflecting Go-Ahead’s commitment to championing diversity, two-thirds of Go-Ahead London’s current apprentices come from a BAME background, while one-in-five are women. The ages of the apprentices range from 18 to 65.
Mike Brown MVO, London’s Transport Commissioner, said: “Go-Ahead’s commitment to double the number of apprentices it trains is great news for our industry. Apprenticeship schemes are so important in opening up the opportunities for people to discover transport as a career, and to ensure our workforce reflects the city we live in. Go-Ahead’s investment in a state-of-the-art training facility for bus drivers, who perform such an important role in helping move people around London, will help attract people from all the city’s communities.”
David Brown, Go-Ahead Group Chief Executive said: “We are excited to be leading the industry in the development of apprenticeships, across bus and rail. Having apprenticeships for bus drivers is helping us develop the role to become more customer focused, and the participants reflect the diversity of the communities we serve.
"Go-Ahead is always on the lookout for talented people; we welcome interest from the curious and the hard-working, but most of all from individuals looking to build an exciting career for themselves with a growing international transport business".
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