What should rail do better for young people? YRP consultation findings

What should rail do better for young people? YRP shares views from its Rail Youth Promise consultation

The Rail Youth Promise aims to strengthen how young people enter and progress within the railway by bringing organisations together around a shared commitment to attracting, developing and retaining future talent. Ahead of its parliamentary launch, Young Rail Professionals invited members and the wider rail community to share their views on the opportunities and challenges facing people entering the industry today.

The consultation attracted 79 responses from across the UK and Ireland. Early-career professionals formed the largest group (25 respondents, 32%), followed by professionals with more than six years' experience (24 respondents, 30%), graduate scheme participants (13 respondents, 17%), students or those interested in a future rail career (11 respondents, 14%) and apprentices (5 respondents, 6%). Responses covered a broad cross-section of the industry, with engineering representing the largest discipline (21 respondents, 27%) alongside operations, infrastructure, project delivery, consultancy, digital and technology, commercial functions and the public sector.

"Make the railway visible before people are choosing their careers, not afterwards."

Respondents identified a number of barriers to entering the railway. The most common was a lack of awareness of rail careers (58 respondents, 73%), followed by not knowing how to enter the industry (53 respondents, 67%), a lack of work experience opportunities (36 respondents, 46%), limited visible role models (35 respondents, 44%), recruitment processes that feel unclear or difficult (32 respondents, 41%) and a lack of professional networks (30 respondents, 38%). The written responses reinforced these findings, with many participants commenting that rail is still too often associated with train driving or engineering, rather than the wide range of careers available across the sector.

"Rail needs a re-brand. It comes across as dull. There are loads of cool things you can do in rail. Young people need to know about this."

Participants also highlighted where they believe the industry should focus its efforts. Stronger outreach in schools and colleges (44 respondents, 56%) received the highest level of support, followed by clearer progression pathways (34 respondents, 43%), more paid work experience opportunities (28 respondents, 35%), better feedback for unsuccessful candidates (26 respondents, 33%) and more apprenticeships (23 respondents, 29%). Views on the fairness of access to rail careers were mixed, with 26 respondents (33%) considering access fair or very fair, compared with 28 (35%) who regarded it as unfair or very unfair. Recruitment processes featured heavily throughout the written responses, particularly lengthy recruitment times, limited communication and a lack of feedback.

"The graduate scheme system is broken. I waited six months to hear a rejection."

The consultation also highlighted the role geography can play in shaping opportunity. A majority (53 respondents, 67%) said where they live affects access to rail careers either "a great deal" or "a fair amount". Additionally, (25 respondents, 32%) said travel costs had prevented them from accessing interviews, work experience or employment opportunities, with most (69 respondents, 87%) supporting employers covering travel costs for interviews, work experience and apprenticeships.

The consultation reflects the views of those who chose to participate rather than the rail industry as a whole. Nevertheless, the responses provide a useful snapshot of the issues affecting many people considering or building a career in rail. Young Rail Professionals would like to thank everyone who took part. The findings have been shared as part of the wider Rail Youth Promise consultation and will help inform ongoing discussions as the initiative develops.