The first-ever graduation ceremony for the PlanBEE Rail apprenticeship programme took place this week at the National Railway Museum in York, marking a milestone moment for the scheme and celebrating the achievements of its inaugural cohort, with seven of the graduates moving into permanent roles across the Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) and its wider partners.

TRU is a founding member of the scheme, which is designed to recruit and nurture the next generation of multi-disciplinary project managers through a two-year programme where the apprentices rotate around four different employers, gaining experience across different environments.

The event brought together apprentices, their friends and family, and representatives from sponsor organisations for a celebratory evening, including certificate presentations, alongside a poster showcase.

The event was opened by James Richardson, Managing Director of TRU, who welcomed guests to the ceremony. Apprentice Leah Allen also spoke on behalf of the first cohort, before certificate presentations were delivered by Neil Robertson, Chief Executive of the National Skills Academy for Rail (NSAR), alongside Vicky Cross, Director of Curriculum and Skills at Gateshead College, which was recently awarded the Queen Elizabeth Prize for its outstanding work in delivering PlanBEE programmes.

Rail Minister Lord Hendy said: “The Transpennine Route Upgrade is a transformative project. Not only is it expanding travel options, upgrading rail links across the North, supporting new homes and kickstarting economic growth, it is also creating opportunity across the North of England, sustaining thousands of jobs and giving graduates skills for life.

“I know how rewarding a career in the rail industry is and I wish this first cohort of graduates the very best as we work together to deliver faster, more frequent, greener trains across the North.”

TRU is an £11bn programme improving railway infrastructure across the North, better connecting towns and cities like Manchester, Huddersfield, Leeds and York through faster, more frequent services on a greener, more reliable railway. The benefits of the programme go beyond the tracks, though.

The graduation serves as a demonstration of TRU’s commitment to developing the next generation of rail professionals here in the North. Two graduates will be joining TRU directly upon completion of their placements in September, progressing onto a Level 6 degree apprenticeship: Amelia Abbott and Nick Bell. These appointments reflect TRU’s commitment to continued investment in early careers talent, supporting the growth of skilled, long-term careers across the North.

TRU has over 5000 staff, with 85% coming from within 40 miles of the route, and will have created over 8000 jobs across the duration of the programme.

Amelia Abbott, joining TRU as a Project Management Apprentice, said: “Being part of the first cohort of PlanBEE Rail has been an incredible experience. The rotational model meant I was able to build skills and confidence across a variety of organisations within the industry, and that breadth of experience has been invaluable in shaping me as a project professional.

“I had placement rotations with Balfour Beatty, VolkerRail, Network Rail and TransPennine Express, which all feed into TRU at various levels of the programme.

“I’m also from North Yorkshire, so this programme is close to home for me. To now be joining TRU is something I’m really proud of, and I’m excited to bring everything I’ve learned on the scheme into such a significant infrastructure project for the North.”