The Engineering Academy within
Babcock's Education & Training business has been awarded the
Investing in People award in the Network Rail Partnership Awards
2011. Now in their third year, the awards provide an occasion for
Network Rail to reward and recognise excellence and best practice
among organisations that have worked with the company in their aim
to help Britain run better.
Babcock delivers Apprenticeship
training to Network Rail through a three-year programme based at
their VT Flagship Academy at HMS Sultan in Gosport,
Hampshire. The apprentices gain Technical, Academic and
Vocational qualifications at Levels 2 and 3, alongside advanced
technical certificates and other accredited training such as
Leadership & Management, Life Skills and Key Skills.
Babcock has worked with Network Rail
to create an academy with state-of-the art training facilities and
equipment, including a fully working section of railway line with
multi-engineering applications, housed in a hangar for year-round
training, as well as outdoor training equipment.
Babcock, through VT Flagship, has
worked in partnership with Network Rail over a period of six years
to create, implement and continuously improve the unique
residential Apprenticeship Scheme that has to date trained,
mentored and coached 1,250 Network Rail Apprentices. The programme
not only delivers the full skill set, by trade, for employees
required by Network Rail, but also embeds company culture, values,
and a broader education outside technical and vocational
qualifications, in the form of a leadership and management
programme.
Commenting on the award, Alex Khan,
Managing Director for Babcock's Education & Training business,
said: "I'm very pleased that we have won Network Rail's Investing
in People award. This award is particularly gratifying as
investing in people is at the heart of what we do: investing in
apprentices, the businesses they work for, and our own staff, in
order to build rewarding and satisfying careers for learners and a
secure and prosperous future for British business."
Kelvin Roberts, Engineering Operations Manager for Babcock's
Education and Training business added: "This is reflection of the
close and valued relationship we have with Network Rail, which is a
credit to our Engineering Academy team."