GTR's 'Get into Railways' scheme

It is important to acknowledge that some young people do not get the opportunities they deserve.

Our rail company Govia Thameslink Railway delivers the 'Get Into Railways' scheme with the Prince's Trust to help disadvantaged young people.

The scheme offers 18-25-year olds two weeks of customer service training in the classroom, where they can gain skills in areas such as conflict resolution and health and safety. This is followed by two weeks of work experience in stations, depots or GTR’s Head Office, where they can put their skills into practice.  Over the course of the six year partnership, the scheme has generated more than £1.6m of social benefit to UK society.

In 2020, 80% of those joining the programme were offered a job

The scheme genuinely helps the lives of young people: after each placement, the participants give a presentation to talk about what the scheme meant to them. For some, the scheme and securing a job at GTR means that they can help to support their family. For others, the scheme has helped to rebuild their confidence - whether they had had setbacks due to injury or illness.

The scheme won the 'Advancing Social Mobility in the Workplace' award at the Employers' Network for Equality & Inclusion Awards in 2019

By continuing to invest in this scheme, we can help young people to progress and grow, giving them the skills that they need to develop for the workplace. It also means that we can continue to create a more diverse workforce that reflects the communities that we serve.

We have chosen five of the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals as our areas of focus. The 'Get Into Railways' scheme shows our commitment to Goal 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) and how we are helping to provide sustained, inclusive and sustainable employment for disadvantaged people.