Meet the Oldham apprentice whose career is on the right track

Shannon Pilkington

A 21-year-old student from Oldham says completing an apprenticeship is "the best decision" she's ever made.

Shannon Pilkington, from Springhead is currently undertaking a two-year apprenticeship with train operator TransPennine Express (TPE) where she benefits from learning the and knowledge needed to follow a career in the rail sector, while earning a wage at the same time

TPE is marking National Apprenticeship Week by opening the door for rail workers of the future to register their interest in the scheme and to 'earn while they learn'.

Shannon is one of 14 apprentices experiencing several different areas within the company such as Major Projects, Service Planning, Customer Experience and Human Resources. As part of their training, each apprentice is also working towards a professional qualification, as well as the Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award.

Shannon said: "I’m currently working as an operations apprentice in control and my qualification is a level 3 business administration.

"Working in control, every day is different, so last week for example I was working alongside a customer information controller who sends out information about delays and cancellations, answers help point calls around our stations and sends out information to customers about road replacement transport if services are cancelled.

"Completing an apprenticeship is the best decision I’ve ever made and I would highly recommend it to anyone wanting to go into the rail industry. It sets you up for your railway career and it's the best way to learn, especially with TPE because you’re able to experience learning from various departments so you're going to have some great knowledge when you start a full time role."

Nicola Buckley, HR Director at TransPennine Express said: "We’re so proud of Shannon and the work she has been doing. The apprenticeship programme at TPE sees inspiring young people, such as Shannon, supporting us and gaining work experience across every area of the business, not to mention adding to their personal growth through the achievement of the Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award.
 
"We’re committed to connecting and reflecting the diverse communities we serve across the north of England and Scotland. Our values are central to this, especially being ‘supportive of each other’ and as an inclusive employer we value individuals’ contributions, regardless of their age, gender, race, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, social background, religion, or belief.”

Young people are able to register their interest in a TPE apprenticeship via the Early Careers Apprenticeships Talent Registration Page on the FirstGroup website.

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