DB Cargo UK and its sister company Axiom Rail welcomed a group of young engineering students to its facilities in Stoke to showcase opportunities in rail as part of the new national initiative ‘Rail Week’.
BTEC Level 3 engineering students from Haywood Academy in Stoke-on-Trent were given a tour of the site and took part in a question and answer session with Engineer Scott Westwood, who advised them on career paths into the industry.
During the tour the students were shown the wheel shop where wagon and locomotive wheel sets are overhauled and manufactured.
They were also guided through the main bay working areas, where Production Manager Mike Richards discussed how the team at Stoke had recently converted unused steel wagons to make new wagons to transport construction materials.
Running from 27 June to 03 July, Rail Week celebrated the diverse and rewarding career opportunities available across the rail sector and was designed to bring the industry closer to schools, teachers, career advisors and students. The initiative was developed by Young Rail Professionals and ran for the first time this year.
Lee Oates, Business Improvement Manager at Axiom Rail Stoke, said:
“DB Cargo UK and Axiom Rail are committed to inspiring the next generation of rail workers. We were proud to be involved in Rail Week by welcoming the students to our facilities at Stoke.
“It’s important to demonstrate to young people, parents and teachers the variety of jobs and opportunities available in the rail sector. We’ve extended an invitation to the students to come back for some work experience and hope to invite more schools to visit our facilities in the future.”
Jake Furkins, a BTEC Level 3 Engineering student at Haywood Academy, said:
“I really enjoyed the trip - it was a great eye opener to see all the opportunities that are available to me in the rail sector. The visit let me see how people have developed in their roles - where they have come from and how they have built themselves up, giving me an insight as to what I can do to get there.”
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