TfL and its suppliers create over 300 new apprenticeship roles as BBC Apprentice winner inspires new recruits. Over 5,000 apprenticeship roles created by TfL and its supply chain since 2009. London apprentices eligible for a concession Oyster card which could save them over £600 a year.

2005 BBC Apprentice winner and former planner at London Underground, Tim Campbell, today (4 March 2014) joined London Underground’s Managing Director, Mike Brown and Deputy Mayor for Education and Culture for London, Munira Mirzaat a recruitment fair for apprentices organised by Transport for London (TfL) and its supply chain at City Hall. The recruitment fair, held during National Apprenticeship Week, was attended by over 250 potential candidates and apprentices currently working for TfL and its supply chain who shared their experiences and offered information and advice. TfL and its supply chain currently have over 300 apprenticeship roles available. The TfL apprenticeship roles include Highways Technician, Information Management, Project Planner, London Underground Engineering, London Underground Operational, and London Underground Track Engineering. The roles vary from 12 months to four years with the majority of apprentices securing jobs at the end of their scheme.

All apprentices living in London aged 18 or over and in their first year of an approved apprenticeship course can save 30 per cent against the price of adult rate Travelcards and Bus & Tram Passes with an Apprentice Oyster photocard available via the TfL website. The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: “I am delighted that TfL’s apprenticeship scheme is creating so many job opportunities for young Londoners. There is nothing more important to the future of this city than getting young people into work and the wide range of apprentice roles available through TfL will help hundreds of youngsters to get onto the first rung of the career ladder.

“I am committed to dramatically increasing the number of apprenticeships in the capital and have invested over £2.5m in schemes over the last two years. I urge all London’s firms to follow TfL’s lead and employ an apprentice.” Georgina Demetri, a 19 year old Project Management Apprentice at TfL, said: “For me, an apprenticeship was a better option than university as it allows me to earn and learn whilst gaining valuable work experience. I chose the TfL Project Management apprenticeship scheme as it offered the opportunity to work with a variety of experts in the field of project management. I’m six months into the scheme and I’ve already learnt so much. An apprenticeship is something I would definitely recommend to people.”

Since April 2009, TfL and its supply chain have created over 5,000 apprenticeship roles, supporting the Mayor of London’s campaign to create 250,000 apprenticeship roles by 2016. In addition, Crossrail and its contractors will also deliver a legacy of 400 apprenticeships with more than 283 apprentices already working on the project. Mike Brown MVO, Managing Director of London Underground and London Rail, said: “Apprentices are playing a key role in the modernisation and improvement of our transport network. As we continue to invest billions of pounds in transport to meet the needs of London’s growing population to support jobs, homes and economic growth, it is vital that we retain and train highly skilled and motivated staff to help us deliver a world class transport network. This is an exciting time to be working at TfL and we have a fantastic range of apprenticeship opportunities we are currently recruiting for. I would encourage anyone considering a career with us to apply.”

Tim Campbell, the Mayor’s Ambassador for Training and Enterprise, said: “As a proud former employee of TfL, I am pleased to be a part of an event which is bringing London’s young talent into contact with employers with vacancies in the Transport Industry, where skill shortages are an issue. What is even more impressive about this event is the example TfL is showing to other employers by leveraging their support of apprenticeships in encouraging their supply chain to get involved also.” Since 2007, TfL has been recognised by the National Apprenticeship Service as one of the top 100 Apprenticeship Employers and offers a variety of training at three main training sites in West Kensington, Acton and Stratford to strengthen their skills. At the 2014 UK Rail Industry Awards (UKRIA), London Underground’s Apprenticeship Development team received the Apprenticeship Development Scheme Award.

TfL also has an award winning Supplier Skills Team (SST) who work with the business and its suppliers to generate apprentice and employment opportunities. These opportunities are aligned to the skills requirements of TfL and its supply chain and provide the opportunity to source new talent into the industry whilst working to address skills shortages. To date almost 100 suppliers have engaged with the SST to deliver apprenticeships and in 2012, the Supplier Skills Team were awarded the Race for Opportunity Award for ‘Youth Partnership and Apprenticeship’ for the success of their work with the supply chain in creating apprenticeship opportunities. At the 2013 Race for Opportunity Award, they also won the Collaboration and Partnership award.